Who's A Girl to Do?
by evefaxton
Summary: Used to be Raising Another Uchiha. A widow and her eight year old daughter come to Konoha. IzumoOC 15yrsNejiSakura, ShinoIno M for language and mature humor/situations.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Naruto, the characters, the names, the concepts or even the Ideas in my own head. Thus is the law. Read on at your own risk.

Uchiha Mitsu and Kana are my own characters. If you don't like OC's then don't bother reading. I've moved on to other projects now, so flaming me will be useless. (Shrug)

This fic was originally under the Neji/Sak category because the OC pairing was up in the air until after chapter 11. Now that the Izumo ended up winning instead of Hiashi, it's time to archive the story in it's proper place.

Okay, this story was written under the assumption that Izumo might... just on the off chance... quite possibly... be straight.

(Ducks under desk) Please don't kill me!

I like the Kot/Izu fics too so please don't take this as a Yaoi bashing. It's a humor fic, so take it tongue in cheek.

**Who's A Girl To Do/ Formally "Raising Another Uchiha"**

A mysterious widow and her eight year old daughter come to Konoha looking to rebuild. (28yrs)Mitsu/(27)Izumo, (16yrs)Neji/(15yrs)Sakura, (15yrs)Shino/Ino M for language and citrus.

Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter One**

The Hokage stared, wide eyed, at the two files that had been placed before her. She read and re-read the thinner one marked "Kana", still unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Are you sure," she breathed.

An old man dressed as a simple merchant sat in front of her, merely smiled and nodded.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," he then lifted a small chest that was sitting on his lap.

"I even brought blood samples of both mother and child for your labs test and compare if you wish. I assume there are DNA samples of each bloodline trait among your facilities?"

Tsunade nodded as Shizune reached for the chest. She bowed to both the Hokage and the Ambassador before rushing out the door.

"Again, I must apologize, Hokage-sama," said the Ambassador, "For the unofficial status of my country in this matter, but secrecy and obscurity have been the child's strongest defense. If the Sharingan had lain dormant, as with her father, she would have lived a normal life."

"Ah yes," the blond woman pulled up the larger file with the name, "Mitsu", printed on it. She pulled out a small wedding photo of a happy couple holding each other close. The young bride of nineteen wore a dazzling kimono with her burgundy brown hair held up with jeweled pins. Her bright red eyes shone with the light of most blushing brides. They reminded Tsunade of Kurenai's eyes. The much older and handsome groom had his arms wrapped around his wife, with his onyx eyes staring possessively at her, as all Uchiha men had a tenancy to do.

"I barely remember Uchiha Keitaro. If you hadn't brought the wedding photo, he would have been hard to place. He was one of the few Uchiha to make it to Genin, but never could activate his Sharingan."

Tsunade chuckled aloud, "I was told he was more a daydreamer with a bad case of wanderlust. Decided himself to become a full time world traveler...sent back the occasional tidbits of information while roaming different countries."

That brought a smile to the Ambassador's face, "Yes, that he was until he crossed the seas and met Mitsu. She, on the other hand, was a shinobi prodigy...a genjustu specialist with Jounin rank. She was assigned to escort him though our land and well...", he stretched his hands out and shrugged.

"Don't ask me how," he added with laugh, "I didn't bother to ask."

The Hokage sighed, "Well, the Uchiha men have always been lady killers."

"Even hardened kunoichi must fall in love sometime. If only he had stayed overseas for a while longer, Itachi...", Tsunade's voice faded as memories of the aftermath flashed before her.

The Ambassador face fell into a melancholy as well, "I was told he wanted to discuss his marriage with his clan. While the union was legal, the Uchiha Clan had yet to be informed."

It was not long after, that Shizune burst through the office doors.

"Hokage-sama! It has been confirmed. The child was fathered by Uchiha Keitaro and the most recent blood sample shows the Sharingan activated to the first tomoe."

Tsunade stood up and picked up both files on her desk, "If you'll excuse me, Ambassador, I must speak with the Council. Please, enjoy your stay in Konoha as my personal guest."

The Ambassador bowed deeply, "You are most gracious, Hokage-sama. "Arigato."

Shizune lead the man out as the tall blond woman stared out the window, deep in thought. She need to figure out how to handle this the best way without raising suspicions. A plan started to come together. It would take a lot of fast talking and more promises to the Elders. Tsunade winced as a nasty headache started to form. She really needed a drink.

Tsunade stepped outside her office and walked up to her assistant, "Shizune, please arrange a morning meeting with Hyuuga Hiashi and Aburame Shibi. Also set up an afternoon meeting with Sakura-chan and Ino-chan."

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The Next Morning...

Aburame Shibi and Hyuuga Hiashi nodded in acknowledgment to one another at this somewhat strange meeting with the Hokage. They kept silent as Tsunade faced the both of them down. She handed each of them edited copies of Uchiha Mitsu and Uchiha Kana's files. She tried to explain the surprising turn of events that landed such a grand prize into they're laps.

"In addition to reviving the Uchiha bloodline, we will be privy to the another hidden village's shinobi techniques through Mitsu-san. True, it will be limited since she retired nine years ago, but she is still skilled at genjustu."

Hiashi, while still calm, managed to show some irritation in his voice, "This is all very interesting Hokage-sama, but why do you need us"?

"As leaders of your clans," smiled the Hokage, "You are here by informed that these two will be occupying the property between your two family compounds."

The estate between the Hyuuga and Aburame Clans was for the most part for show. It was a buffer created many years ago to settle some dispute involving both families. The house had been for visiting dignitaries before the Konoha Hotel added penthouse suites. Now it remained empty as a no man's land for either clan.

Aside from the raised eyebrows, neither one broke they're pokerfaces. This time it was Shibi who decided to speak up.

"May I ask, why not set them up in the Uchiha homes?"

Tsunade shook her head, "Too much of a security risk. It won't take long for the rumor of her existence to reach enemy ears. Putting the child in the Uchiha district would be serving her on a platter. I need round the clock expertise of your clans to be an informal alarm system. All you merely have to do is rearrange your guards' rounds to accommodate the new household.

"I see...", mumbled Shibi behind his large collar. Apparently the woman had no idea how annoying that was going to be.

"What is their estimated time of arrival?"

The Hokage lifted the Ambassador's file with the Uchihas' itinerary.

"They should be arriving at the harbor in the Land of Wind any day now. They will be escorted by Sand-nin from the harbor through Suna to Konoha."

She then dropped the files back on the desk, "I'm guessing they'll be here in about two weeks."

It was Hiashi who brought up the delicate subject of Sand's Alliance, "Would you be informing the Kazekage of the situation since we would be placing such a valuable target with his men?"

The blond closed her eyes, "I have taken that into account. The Elders were very tempted to hold back on the information, but it's clear that Sand will be the best escort. We cannot allow Sound to notice by having Leaf's ANBU hovering over an eight year old girl...But we could arrange a little Leaf-Sand conference at the same time, allowing Gaara and his siblings to 'Tag Along'. Besides they'll find out sooner or later, especially when the girl applies for the Chuunin Exams. I have already given permission to the Ambassador to disclose this information to the Kazekage on his return trip through Suna."

Tsunade stood up from her desk bringing the meeting to a close, "I don't have to tell you two, this information is for those with appropriate clearance. I am assigning two of my apprentices as tutors and bodyguards for the girl. Aside from them, please keep this on a need-to-know basis."

The two men bowed leaving Tsunade and Shizune alone in the office.

Shizune turned to her mentor, "Do you think this will work?"

"I hope so," sighed the blond, "They may think we're over-reacting, but I don't want to take any chances. Perhaps we can avoid the same mistakes the third time around?"

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Two weeks flew by as Tsunade made sure everything was ready for the Uchiha widow and heir.

"Sakura, did you make sure all the furniture was delivered and placed in the home?" The sitting blond handed her pink haired assistant a finished file.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." Sakura handed her sensei a few more files.

"Tasteful I hope," grumbled Tsunade.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Hai".

"Ino, did you have the gardens planted and training areas prepared?" Ino jumped from her file cabinet.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"I'm sure the dojo was done in traditional Konoha style?"

"Um...Hai, Hokage-sama." Ino made a mental note to check the home later today.

"Shizune! Was the kitchen stocked and the linen closet supplied?"

Shizune nodded as she bowed to Tsunade handing the blond more paperwork, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

"So who arranged for the housekeeper, gardener, and milk delivery?"

Three pairs of eyes blinked in confusion.

"Ahhh..."

"Um..."

"Well, you see..."

Tsunade turned from her pile of papers with a frown marring her lovely features, "Then what are you waiting for?" Her voice resonated through the entire Tower.

"Go get them done!"

Her three assistants disappeared in colorful blurs as they scattered to their tasks.

"Hmm," with a smirk Tsunade slipped out her secret bottle of sake and poured herself a cup, "That probably bought me a couple of hours."

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A while later, Sakura had finished signing up a housekeeper from the Temp Agency and was slowly making her way back to the Hokage Tower. As a lovely wind blew her short hair and cooled her face, she debated whether or not to show up so soon.

'Aw, skip it all together!'

"No, no, no! Discipline, Sakura," she chided herself and then pointed ahead, "The Tower it is."

'Killjoy!'

It was a good thing Sakura did return early, because she would not have seen the indomitable and devastatingly handsome Hyuuga Neji sitting patiently in the Hokage's waiting room.

Once upon a time, the pinkette would have turned to jelly in the presence of Uchiha Sasuke, but his repeated refusals to come back home... i.e. kicking the shit out of Team Seven, wore down what affections she had harbored.

As time went on, Sakura found her emerald eyes drawn to a similar shinobi prodigy. Neji did not make her weak in the knees like Sasuke. No, he made her underwear moist from the thought of him.

Sakura felt her heartbeat racing as she drew closer to the impressive dark haired shinobi.

'Can his hair get anymore sexy.'

"Good afternoon, Hyuuga-san. May I help you?" Sakura's green eyes softened as they rested on Neji's own pearl orbs.

"Afternoon, Haruno-san. I came to give my report, but I have yet to be called in."

Sakura suppressed a shiver as his deep voice rumbled straight through her libido.

'Oh, even his voice exudes raw power!' She bit her lip to keep any more embarrassing musings at bay.

'Control, girl. Keep it together!'

"I-, I'll just go check on Hokage-sama. Excuse me." Sakura nervously backed away until she felt the office door hit her from behind.

She cracked open the door and poked her head through just enough to glimpse Tsunade. The most honorable Hokage was face down on her desk, drooling on the very same paperwork Shizune dropped off earlier.

Unknown to the pinkette, the ever cool and straight faced Hyuuga Neji was watching Sakura's lower right foot lightly bounce a few inches from the floor as she balanced herself on her left leg. The seemingly innocent motion teased his pearl eyes to lock onto her dainty ankle, up the curve of her lovely calf, and slowly rest on the soft swell of her hips,...not to mention her perfectly proportioned-

"Ah," said Sakura as she pulled her head back out.

Neji's eyes snapped up before Sakura turned to face him. The dark shinobi looked as impassive as before.

"It looks like the Hokage is currently indisposed at the moment."

Neji crossed his arms, "She's drunk again".

Sakura giggled as she scratched the back of her head.

"That's our Hokage."

"Hn...," Neji was highly annoyed that Tsunade-sama would brush his meeting off so lightly, but he had to admit seeing Sakura again was... nice.

"You could leave the report with me, Hyuuga-san. I'll give it to her when she wakes up."

Left with no other choice, Neji pulled his paperwork from his bag and handed it to Sakura. It was a light brush of fingertips on that sent a jolt of electricity through the both of them, causing normally nimble hands to scatter Neji's report on the floor.

"Oh! Gomen, Hyuuga-san," cried Sakura in embarrassment, "I'll get the papers. You go on ahead." She hurriedly snatched up page after page, trying not to look too much like an idiot.

Neji knelt as he picked up the rest of his report, "Neji."

Sakura gasped in astonishment, "Excuse me?"

Neji handed the last few pages, "Please, call me Neji,...Sakura" he had paused wondering if it was a good idea to be so informal.

Sakura tried to hold back a blush as she looked into his piercing white eyes, "Very well... Neji."

Neji nodded his farewell as he left to go home.

Sakura watched his tall strong form slowly disappear down the hall. Her mind came up with wonderful images of tracing her fingertips along his rippling muscles and her tongue gliding over his deliciously musky skin.

"Sakura!"

The poor girl nearly jumped ten feet high. Shizune watched the nervous pinkette gather up Neji's report again. Sakura's face had turned a bright red as she kept mumbling about stupid hormones.

"Sakura-chan," Shizune tried again, "Have you finished hiring a housekeeper?"

"Hai, Shizune-san. Here is Neji-san's report," the younger girl handed the paperwork to older brunette.

"I see," said Shizune as she re-ordered the papers according to page numbers, "By the way, have you seen Ino-chan?"

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At that moment, Ino was sitting in the back room of the Yamanaka Flower Shop, rifling through the inventory books for some of the professional landscapers who frequent their shop.

"Maybe a little bit unethical, " Ino mumbled, "But it's not like we're forcing them to shop here. It's just that they're already in the habit."

Eventually, she came across the name Aburame Sanyu. It would make sense. The Aburame Clan was known for their prize gardens for their beetles. It was only natural one of them would become a landscaper.

Ino quickly jot down the name and house number before locking the shop. She did stop by the new Uchiha home to check on the dojo, but nothing was amiss and she locked everything back up.

It was barely a five minute walk when Ino came to the front gate of the Aburame Clan compound. A couple of guards at the gate turned towards her and asked her to state her business.

"I am here on behalf of the Hokage to hire a landscaper. May I speak with Aburame Sanyu, please." She then gave them her trademark dazzling smile.

The guards relaxed and one of them sent a beetle to the back of the compound.

"An escort will take you to Sanyu-sama. It will only be a few more minutes."

Ino bowed to the guard, "Arigato."

Soon a familiar hooded fellow appeared and walked up to the front gate.

"Shino-kun," cried Ino as she gave all the guys the full blast of her sunny personality, "So good to see you. Are you taking me to Sanyu-sama?" It took a moment for Shino and the guards to recover from the sudden shock of Ino's informality.

"H-hai," Shino finally said, "She is to the west side of the compound."

"Of course she is", bubbled Ino as she grabbed Shino's arm and started leading him away.

"Shino-kun," chuckled one of the amused guards, causing the already flustered Aburame heir to blush under his tall collar.

Feeling a little lost, Ino took out the notepaper with Sanyu-sama's house number. Shino patiently waited while the girl looked up and down the row of homes then pointed to the correct house.

"Over there, " Ino said as she tried to drag Shino to the front door, but was stopped when he pulled her in another direction.

"That is her home, Ino-chan, but right now she is in the community garden." Shino gently tugged on her arm until Ino finally relented to the young man's lead.

They came across a delightful strolling garden being tended to by a small middle aged woman in a straw hat.

"Sanyu-sama, I have Yamanaka Ino here to see you." The petite woman pulled herself up from her knees and lifted her sunglasses.

"Good afternoon, Shino-san, Ino-san," Sanyu walked along the pebble path to the fence border where the others waited.

"Sanyu-sama," Ino bowed to the older woman, "The Hokage would like to procure your services for the new residents of the former guest quarters next door. The garden has just been placed. You won't have to do anything extensive. Just maintenance."

Sanyu smiled, "Well, if that's the case then it'll be my pleasure. Tell the Hokage I will start next week."

Ino bowed gracefully once more, "Thank you very much, Aburame-sama."

Shino was quite impressed by how Ino's composure came out when it was needed. Every other time he saw her, she was a hyperactive ball of energy...practically bouncing off the ceiling. Behind his collar, Shino smiled to himself. Hanging around Tsunade-sama has certainly refined the blond beauty.

"Shino-san," Sanyu interrupted his thoughts, "I'm having some trouble with that wheelbarrow of sand. Would you move it to the shed for me?"

Shino nodded, "Of course, Sanyu-sama". He immediately removed his hood and coat, then placed them on a nearby bench.

Ino's blue eyes widened as she glimpsed Shino's handsome face that he kept so well hidden. She then had to hold back a nosebleed when Shino's well toned arms rippled in the sunlight. It was no help that he wore a high neck sleeveless shirt that made his upper body look... oh so appealing. Now to get rid of those pesky sunglasses.

Sanyu smirked as she watched Ino's jaw drop at the enticing young man before them. It was not often a girl would eye an Aburame bug master like grade A beefcake, much less a beautiful buxom blond like Ino.

It was not long before Shino returned from the shed and proceeded to cover back up. Unconsciously, Ino's lower lip quivered, as she tried not to pout.

"Shino-san, " Sanyu quickly called out, "There are...uh...weeds at the north corner of the garden that are difficult for me to reach. I could use some helping hands to get it done faster."

Shino shrugged, "I have nothing else planned for today. It would be my pleasure to help you, Sanyu-sama." Once again Shino disrobed and Ino was back in her happy place.

"Do you have anything else planned, Ino-chan?" Sanyu watched the girl glance at her watch. There was only a half hour until the others would be expecting her. It would take her that long to get back to the Tower.

Then Ino noticed Sanyu's eyes gesturing toward the weeding Shino, who's strong legs and taut derrière were shifting under his black slacks.

Ino quirked an evil eyebrow and smirked, "Nothing I couldn't cancel."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Naruto

**Chapter Two**

It was after sunset, when the Kazekage, Kankuro, Temari, and a young team of Sand genin rambled through the Konohakagure Gates. Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu stood up from their seats at the check in station and bowed low to the Sand-nin.

"Kazekage-sama, Kankuro-san, Temari-san, Welcome back to Konoha!"

Gaara merely nodded his greeting then side stepped to reveal two more travelers behind him.

A smiling brunette, who looked to be in her forties, with chocolate brown eyes stood next to a young girl with short midnight black hair that had a penchant for sticking out in weird angles.

"Please inform the Hokage right away that Mitsu-san and Kana-chan have arrived safely," said Gaara.

Izumo and Kotetsu flickered out of sight leaving the group to sign themselves in the entry books. Kotetsu was the first to return with a letter in hand.

He held it up to Mitsu, "From the Hokage, Mitsu-san." Kotetsu turned to the others.

"Kazekage-sama, your rooms have been prepared at the Konoha Hotel. The Hokage sends her greetings and regrets coming in person."

'Drunk again,' floated the same thought through the Sand-ninja.

Izumo finally re-appeared next to Kotetsu while carrying a large bag with a delicious aroma rising from it.

"Mitsu-san, the Hokage has arranged permanent quarters and requested a hot dinner ready for you."

He lifted the large bag of food, "I hope you like ramen." The little girl's onyx eyes lit up with excitement as she looked up at Izumo.

"Yatta! That's my favorite!"

Gaara rolled his eyes, 'Naruto is going to have some company.'

The red-head's attention was interrupted when Mitsu turned to him and bowed deeply, "Arigato, Kazekage-sama. It was a great honor to travel by your side."

"Your welcome," he said before leaning a forward a little and lowering his voice, "Rest, Mitsu-san. Your chakra is getting low." He looked meaningfully into her surprised eyes.

"H-Hai, Kazekage-sama," she managed to stutter out. She bowed once again to the others before grabbing Kana's hand again.

"Please, lead the way,...um," she smiled warmly at Izumo.

"Kamizuki Izumo", He stretched his arm toward the busy street ahead showing the way.

Their guide led them down the busy main street showcasing the Konoha nightlife. The shops were aglow and the air buzzed with the excitement of fun loving night owls.

Kana broke into a huge grin when she pointed out a sign saying "Ice Cream".

"Oh please, Mom! It's been forever since we had ice cream. Please?"

Mitsu groaned, "Kana it's only been a week and we haven't even had dinner yet. We can come back tomorrow."

Izumo paused and looked inside the shop, "There are only a few people inside. It won't take long. We can get the ice cream to go."

"Don't worry," he winked at a giggling Kana, "It's my treat."

Too tired to protest, Mitsu relented. Happily, Kana went jumping from one flavor to the next trying to make a decision. Mitsu realized her head was starting to ache and it was getting worse the longer she remained in the shop.

There were too many strong minds. Too many curious onlookers who kept wondering why the dark-haired child looked so familiar. Mitsu quickly made her order after her daughter and rushed the both of them to the bathroom hoping for sanctuary. There was no relief there either. Why must there always a line for the stalls? Why?

Once the three of them were outside the shop, Kana practically scarfed down her mango ice cream. Mitsu slowly savored her small green tea scoop in hopes of distracting her mind from the throbbing pain at her temples. Unfortunately, the headache only grew worse. Mitsu started pinching the bridge of her nose, trying to relieve some pressure.

'What is going on,' Mitsu grimaced in pain.

It was then she noticed Izumo was carefully watching her from the other side Kana. Of course he would. He was a ninja. A shinobi who knows better than to be fooled by a simple jutsu. Mitsu berated herself for being so clumsy and letting her chakra stretch so thin.

'Damn, at this rate,' thought the weakening woman, 'I'll end up..." There was a small puff of smoke around Mitsu.

Izumo was quick to catch the woman before she hit the ground, "Kana-chan, could you hold the ramen while I carry your mother? It looks like we're going to make a detour."

Frightened for her mother, Kana quickly took the bag from Izumo's hand, "Where are we going?"

"To the hospital."

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The noon-day sunlight filtered through the window blinds and hit the young widow's face, causing her red eyes to flicker open. It took a moment for her vision to clear, revealing a sterile hospital room with a blue curtain next to her bed, blocking views from door. On the nightstand next to the bed was a note saying that Izumo had left Kana at Yamanaka Ino's home for the night. She looked down to find her travel clothes had been removed and replaced with a polka-dotted P.O.S. paper gown.

"Oh shit," were the first words out of her mouth, followed by an impressive string of curse words. She spent the next few minutes chewing herself out for her incompetence while trying to get herself cleaned up in the bathroom. She could only imagine the first impression she must have given these Leaf-nin, not that she was trying to leave any impression at all. Mitsu pulled on the tangles in her burgundy hair as she stepped out of the bathroom. Luckily, someone left a fluffy robe for her in the bathroom and she did not feel so exposed anymore.

"I told you to rest," said a familiar voice from the hallway. Mitsu squeaked like a mouse as she quickly wrapped her robe around her and tightened the belt.

Opening the blue curtain, Mitsu found the Kazekage staring her down with a frown on his face.

"Ah...um, Kazekage-sama. Good morning," she tried to smile while giving him a wave, but the young man was not buying it. He crossed his arms and narrowed his jade eyes.

Mitsu slumped as she sat on her bed, "Gomen, Kazekage-sama. I thought I could keep the genjutsu up until we got home. I was ... wrong." The woman winced at the humiliation of apologizing to a boy half her age and yet twice her rank. Uchiha Mitsu, genjustu prodigy and pride of her clan, reduced to jelly by a kage punk. This day could not get any worse.

There was a knock on the open door that distracted Gaara and Mitsu, revealing Temari, Kankuro, and the sand genin walking past that damn flimsy barrier they call a curtain.

"Gaara-kun, we heard Mitsu-san was put in this room," Temari waved to her younger brother, "How's she doing?"

Gaara turned to Mitsu and nodded in her direction, "Ask her yourself." Mitsu felt her face flush in embarrassment as the new visitors carefully looked her up and down.

"That can't be Mitsu-san," cried one of the genin, "She's got long reddish-brown hair. Mitsu-san has short dark brown hair...and her eyes are supposed to be brown"! Temari and Kankuro both had surprised faces, but the fact that Gaara was calling this new lady "Mitsu" made them think twice.

Mitsu immediately stood up from her bed and bowed low, "Gomen, Kankuro-san. Gomen, Temari-san. My jutsu was not meant for you and your team, but for any prying eyes."

Temari held her hands up and smiled brightly, "It's alright, Mitsu-san. A henge might have been a little overboard, but not unheard of."

"Don't worry about it," shrugged Kankuro then he turned to his genin, who were whispering among themselves while pointing to an embarrassed Mitsu.

"Hey, you three cut that out! Give your customers a little respect. You know, you guys have yet to train today. Head to the north training grounds, NOW!" The three youngster groaned in unison as they slowly filed out.

"It's all your fault, bonehead," grumbled one boy.

"Hey, I could've sworn she had more wrinkles than that!"

Already having a bad day, Mitsu growled, "What do you mean MORE"?

Kankuro quickly turned on his genin, "I WANNA SEE YOU RUN, MAGGOTS! DOUBLE TIME!"

Kankuro and his genin ran past a pink haired girl who was walking down the hallway, "Whoa, watch what you're doing. This is a hospital." The girl strode into Mitsu's room and gave the occupants a big smile.

"Kazekage-sama, Mitsu-san, Temari-san, Good morning! I see that you're up and about, Mitsu-san. I am Haruno Sakura, your doctor. Izumo checked you in last night when you fainted." Sakura fussed around Mitsu, lifting her feet up...placing a thermometer in her mouth, even smoothing down her hair.

"So I'm just going to give you a quick look over. Then Tsunade-sama would like to see you before Ino and Kana-chan arrive." Sakura wrapped Mitsu's arm with a black cuff and proceeded to check her blood pressure.

Mitsu tilted her head, trying to remember who this "Tsunade-sama" Sakura was talking about, "The Hokage? Oh no..." Tsking at her patient, Sakura pulled the cuff off and took the thermometer out of the woman's mouth.

Temari smiled in sympathy as she waved goodbye, "See you later, Mitsu-san."

Just then Mitsu's torso was attacked by a blur of midnight hair, "Mom! Are you okay? Does your head hurt?"

A young blond girl with long bangs peeked into the room and waved, "Hello, I'm Yamanaka Ino, Mitsu-san. I'm just dropping off Kana-chan. She was a little angel. Sakura, your turn to babysit!" As quickly as she came, Ino was off to see if Sanyu-sama needed anymore bonsai trees for her garden... and to see if a certain Aburame heir was nearby.

Kana waved to her sensei then continued to babble at her mother, "You know Izumo-san carried you the whole way to the hospital? Then he gave me a piggyback ride to Ino-sensei's house. He's really strong," then Kana gave her mom a great big grin, "And really cute too!"

The young widow frowned while her face turned bright red, "Kana," she hissed, "This is not the time and place for your matchmaking schemes."

Kana stuck out her lower lip in a terrible pout, "Oh poo, I need a Dad. What better place to find one than where Papa came from!"

Grimacing, Mitsu tried to change the subject, "Poo? Kana, you sound like you're five years old."

"Alright then, what a load of B-mfphnit!"

Mitsu's hands had covered her daughter's mouth, "You are so grounded, missy!" She then pointed for Kana to look behind her. The girl's face blanched when she saw Gaara watching them, which was a pretty neat trick since she inherited her father's pale skin.

"Gomen, Kazekage-sama," squeaked the eight year old.

'I wonder where she picked up that habit,' thought Gaara as he glared at the girl's mother.

"Well Kana-chan," Sakura's voice broke the tension, "Do you remember me from last night?"

Kana's smile returned when she turned to the pinkette, "Of course, Sakura-sensei! Ino-sensei said the both of you were going to teach me cool jutsu's."

The little girl pushed herself off the bed and punched the air, "I can't wait to get started!"

"Well, that's good to hear," said a tall blond lady with brown eyes as she walked into the room. Her air of authority clued Mitsu that the Hokage had just walked in.

Immediately, Mitsu got off her bed and stood at attention, "Good morning, Hokage-sama." She then nudged her gaping daughter.

The girl managed to sputter out, "G-good morning, Hokage-sama." Sakura handed the Hokage Mitsu's chart then turned to Kana.

"Kana-chan, I'm off duty now. Would you like me to show you around town?"

Kana shrugged, "Sure. By the way, do you know where a Ichikaru Ramen Bar is? Izumo-san brought some great food from there last night."

Laughing, Sakura waved the girl to follow, "No problem!" Kana gave her mother a quick hug good-bye before running after her new sensei.

"So Mitsu," said Tsunade, as she replaced the chart on the nightstand, "Aside from chakra exhaustion, you're perfectly fine. May I be so bold as to ask you what happened?" The Hokage raised a questioning eyebrow while the Kazekage stepped in a little closer.

"Hai Hokage-sama," Mitsu took a deep breath to calm her nerves, "I was using a technique to cover Kana's tracks. It's was developed by my clan for covert operations." Mitsu hoped that would be enough information, but Tsunade waved her hand encouraging the nervous woman to continue.

"Heh heh, right. Well, it's a genjustu that manipulates minds nearby to lose interest in the executor and her teammates. Like people would see Kana and me, feel no threat, then promptly forget about we ever existed."

"Why the henge," Gaara was always straight to the point.

"I was conserving chakra. Red eyes and bright hair tend to gather attention. The more minds to manipulate the more chakra is used. It's the same with strong minds like ninja... the stronger, the more chakra. I'm normally careful, but I was keeping the genjustu going everyday," She groaned in annoyance, "All day ...for nearly a month."

Then the redhead said aloud what both kages' were thinking, "So you could take a fully decked out Samurai and hide him in a group of enemy ANBU?"

With one ruby eye twitching, Mitsu made strangled noises as her mind wrapped around the concept, "Yeah! And then tens seconds later when I pass out, Samurai-sama will have to save his own ass!"

"Obviously, there are limits," Tsunade smiled at the red-faced woman, "Seriously though Mitsu, you should trust the Kazekage and I to ensure you and your daughter's safety. Don't take everything on yourself."

Mitsu bowed to the both of them, "Forgive me, Hokage-sama and especially you, Kazekage-sama. I meant no disrespect." Satisfied with Mitsu's apology, Tsunade and Gaara headed for the hallway.

"As soon as you're dressed, you can check out at the front desk. I'll send...," Tsunade failed to hold back a snicker, "Izumo-_kun_ to escort you home." Even Gaara had a hard time holding back a smirk.

-----------------------------------------

Down main street, Sakura was pointing out the various shops she and Kana passed by, "There's my favorite sweets shop. Next to it is the Ninja Supply Store, and over there is Kaka-sensei's favorite bookshop."

She leaned lower to the little girl's ear, "Be sure to stay away every second Tuesday of the month. That's Icha Icha sale day. Ooh, there's the BBQ Buffet! Ino is usually there with Chouji." Sakura took a quick peek inside to find a nearly deserted restaurant.

"Huh," Sakura scratched her head, "That's strange. Well, let's head to Ichikaru's. It's not far from here."

Sure enough around the corner, Sakura and Kana came across Ichiraku's Ramen Bar. Sitting at the counter was everybody's favorite Kyuubi shinobi slurping away at a bowl of ramen. Next to Naruto sat Neji, who was staring in horror at the boy's insatiable appetite.

"Naruto," he growled, "When I offered to buy you lunch, I didn't mean six bowls."

Naruto patted his tummy in satisfaction, "Well, good advice deserves good food!"

"Hn," Neji crossed his arms in frustration. At this rate Naruto would eat through his whole wallet.

Then he sensed a familiar chakra signature nearby.

The dark shinobi gasped, "I gotta go." Neji dumped the money on the counter before jumping out of his seat.

Naruto tilted his head to one side, "What's the...hey? Where are you going?"

"Hello Naruto," came Sakura's voice. Sakura barely got her greeting out before Naruto glomped onto his teammate, nearly knocking the pinkette down.

"Sakura-chaan!"

"Yeah, ok...good to see you too Naruto," grumbled Sakura as she peeled the boy off of her, "Was that Neji just now?"

Naruto nodded, "Yeah, he just wanted some dating advice."

"Really!" Gossip! Sakura loved good gossip, "You only just started dating Hinata. He must be pretty desperate. I wonder who the lucky girl is? I bet it's Tenten!"

For once Naruto was ahead of his teammate, "Actually, Lee took Tenten out to dinner last week...and she survived! Hey, who's that?" The blond boy pointed to the young girl with funny black hair and glaring dark eyes, standing behind Sakura.

"Oh," Sakura stepped to one side, "Naruto, this is Kana-chan, my student. Kana-chan, this is my friend and teammate, Naruto."

Naruto puffed up his chest, "Hello Kana-chan, Uzumaki Naruto, the next Hokage, at your service"!

For some reason, this brash, over-excited blond boy did not sit well with Kana. He nearly knocked her sensei to the ground and if Sakura-sensei had not braced herself, the big idiot would have sent Kana flying too.

'Besides what baka goes around screaming to the whole world that he's the next Hokage,' thought Kana.

"Hn," Kana gave him a curt nod before pulling herself up a seat.

"Wow," she breathed while she looked the menu over, "There's so many things to choose from. It's so wonderful. I am officially Ichiraku's number one fan!"

Naruto-baka and, to Kana's disappointment, Sakura-sensei laughed at the girl's statement.

"Oh no, no, no Kana-chan," chuckled Naruto as he looked down on the dark-haired girl, "You see I'm Ichiraku's number one fan around here. Always have been, always will be. I can see you're new, so you don't understand the depth of my fandom." Sakura was surprised that Naruto used the word "Depth" in a sentence and correctly.

Kana scowled at the thick-headed boy, "No! What you don't understand, _Dobe_, is that I am now the number one fan of Ichiraku's and you're just going to have to settle for second place."

"Uzumaki Naruto does not settle for second place!" The boy was starting to lose his patience.

"Ha," Kana shouted in Naruto's face, "I'd like to see you put your fandom where you mouth is!"

Naruto stood in shock, "Did this little punk just call me out?" The entire bar went silent.

Sakura looked at Kana in awe, "Sounds like it, Naruto."

"Oh it's on, little girl," growled the Kyuubi vessel. Naruto sat himself next to Kana and glowered directly into her eyes. Kana returned the favor. Sakura could have sworn lightening flew between the two glares.

"Two chicken ramens, old man," demanded the blond shinobi. When two steaming bowls were set before them, Kara yelled, "Ready! Set! Go!" The both of them started in on their noodles at super speed and downed their broth at the same time.

"Another please," they held their bowls up at the same time, "Grrrrrr".

Sakura sat on the other side of Kana while drumming her fingers on the counter, "Where have I seen this before"?

---------------------------------------------------

At the same time on the other side of town, Mitsu could swear someone was "Watching" her. She could feel it. The hairs on the back of her neck kept standing on end at the weirdest times. She would shift her eyes from side to side, made a quick glance behind her, even spared the clouds a glare. There was the occasional person milling around the street, but for the most part, people ignored her and Izumo.

'There it goes again,' she thought. Mitsu turned to ask Izumo if he noticed anyone following them, but he was looking straight ahead, completely calm.

'I must be going crazy,' concluded Mitsu, 'I need to start trusting people again.' This time annoying pinpricks crawled along her skin joining her rising neck hairs.

'Arrgh!'

Frustrated, Mitsu decided this needed to stop. She kept a careful eye on the shop windows for any reflections of her pervy observer. At the same time she felt a shiver run up and down her spine, Mitsu saw her pervert.

'What the hell? Izumo-san?' Mitsu's mind went reeling. Sure enough, with her attention "Fixed" on the windows, the dark-haired Chuunin openly gazed at her. His deep brown eyes traveled from her hair to her toes and back up again, lingering on certain parts of her female anatomy, of course.

'Relax, give him the benefit of the doubt,' Mitsu tried to calm herself down, but it was hard not to feel violated when he leaned back to get a better view of her ass. She turned to face him quickly, but his reflexes were faster. His eyes were staring at a house across the street, looking as innocent as an angel.

"Izumo-san," The only way she could stop him leering at her would be forcing him to look her in the eye, "Uh...Did I thank you for taking care of Kana last night?"

"Yes, Mitsu-san you have." He gave her a small smile before turning away again.

"Oh yeah, heh heh," Mitsu cleared her throat, "Is it usually this deserted around noon?"

"These shops are near the residential districts and everyone likes to go to the main street restaurants for lunch."

"Ah," Mitsu fumbled with her pack strap as she tried to figure out how to get away from Izumo, "I'm not interrupting your lunchtime, am I? You could just give me directions and you can meet up with your friends."

Izumo peered from behind his dark bangs and carefully studied her, "They can wait. This is more important. Besides, the Hokage said something about 'Drop kicking my ass' if I don't see you safely home."

Mitsu feeling guilty for trying to hinder Izumo's task, she gave him a gracious smile and a silent forgiveness.

"I never did apologize for the henge," she mumbled, "It must've been startling to find a completely different person last night."

"Actually, the streetlights weren't all that bright when I was carrying you and once I got you to the hospital, the nurses whisked you away before I got a real chance to check you ou-ow...wow, uh." Izumo's eyes widened as he tried to think of a cover.

"Look at that, we're coming up on the Hyuuga residences. That means we're almost to your home." Izumo ignored the suspicious glare Mitsu was throwing his way and pointed to their right side.

The ominous thick walls of the Hyuuga compound eventually opened up to a simple, but impressive gate being manned by a couple of guards. Mitsu observed their long dark hair and piercing white pupils. It was obvious they were not blind by their curt nods to Izumo, who gave them a short salute in return. The young widow thought now would be a good time to be neighborly and gave the guards a warm smile with a wave. Both guards glared daggers at the source of their annoying new schedule.

Somewhat spooked, Mitsu picked up the pace and unconsciously moved closer to Izumo, "What beetle crawled up their butts"? She was taken aback by Izumo's roar of laughter.

"What? What?"

"Maybe," Izumo chuckled, "You should ask your other neighbors." He grabbed her hand, pulled her past what Mitsu assumed was her house, and led her to another set of gates. There were two more guards dressed in long coats with collars so high even their mouths were covered.

Izumo waved to the men, "Hey Aburame-san, thought we'd say 'Hi'. This is Mitsu-san, your new neighbor." He stuck his thumb in Mitsu's direction. Both men turned to the young widow and said their hellos. Despite not seeing all of their faces, their demeanor was friendly and she felt genuine kindness.

Just then another Aburame appeared, only he was nearly completely covered except for his sunglasses peaking out from his hood. To Mitsu's surprise, the guards turned and bowed before the younger man.

"Shino-san," said one of the guards, "Our new neighbor, Mitsu-san has finally arrived."

Shino nodded to Mitsu, "Welcome to Konoha. I hope your trip was enjoyable."

She smiled knowingly at Izumo, "Well, for the most part, it was just fine."

Suddenly one of the guards huffed, "I just remembered, Shino-san. You have a visitor at the community garden. One moment." Mitsu watched in amazement as a beetle crawled out of the guard's sleeve and landed on his fingertip. After a second, the beetle flew off towards the Aburame Residences.

"That Mitsu-san," Izumo murmured in her ear, "Was what I was talking about." She secretly shivered after his warm breath tickled her ear.

Everyone but the guards was surprised to see a lovely blond girl walk up to the gates while carrying a bonsai tree in her arms.

"Mitsu-san, Izumo," bubbled Ino as she grinned at the group, "Fancy seeing you here."

Then she turned to Shino with a slight blush on her cheeks, "Hello Shino-kun." Ino searched Shino's dark glasses hoping for some glimpse of the young man's eyes.

Even with the Aburame heir trying to hide behind his collar, whatever skin not covered started to turn a bright red, "Good afternoon, Ino-chan." Ino's bright smile at his greeting made Shino's heart skip a beat.

"So beautiful," he whispered aloud, not realizing everyone heard him.

"Huh," said a wide eyed Ino, "What was that?"

"Uh, your bonsai. It's quite beautiful. Did you bring that for Sanyu-sama?" Both Izumo and Mitsu were impressed the boy handled that so smoothly.

Sighing slightly, Mitsu half expected turtle doves to start twittering around the young couple, as the blond girl and mysterious boy continued to gaze at each other. Mitsu turned to Izumo, hinting that it was time to go.

Feeling the same, Izumo bowed to the guards, "Well, we have to be going. Mitsu-san still has to settle in."

Ino waved without moving her eyes from Shino, "Yeah, see you tomorrow, Mitsu-san." Shino was still too lost in Ino's blue eyes to register any other voices.

Once they were out of earshot, Mitsu cracked up, "Well, that was cute."

"Yeah," replied Izumo, "I wonder if Cupid's been spotted around Konoha. I think Shino-kun got hit."

Mitsu smirked playfully at Izumo, "It looked to me like Ino-chan was doing some checking ou-ow wow of her own."

Laughing, Izumo led Mitsu back to her own gate and opened it wide for her. The front garden had a courtyard with a small water fountain surrounded by pagoda lanterns. Large planters with small flowering bushes stood on either side of the front door and filled the air with a sweet fragrance.

"Umm Mitsu-san, " Izumo coughed politely, "Do you still have the Hokage's letter"?

"Of course, " Mitsu wondered why Izumo was suddenly acting strange. It was when she had to pull her right hand away from his left, she realized they had been holding hands since before meeting the Aburames.

"Sorry about that," she said as she handed the envelope to Izumo, who pulled out a key. Mitsu was careful to pull both her hands behind her back.

Trying not to look at Izumo, she turned to look around the front porch, "You must thank the Hokage for me. This is all so beautiful."

"Yeah, beautiful," he echoed as he unlocked the door. He pushed it wide open to reveal a hallway splitting into separate rooms.

"Welcome home, Mitsu-san."

Mitsu quietly removed her shoes and backpack then tip toed across the floor. Somehow she felt like she was intruding on a longstanding silence. Curious as well, Izumo followed her as she explored the house. The dining area had a long low table while the kitchen had a normal country table for casual meals. The living room had sliding glass doors that opened up to the backyard, making easy access to the small dojo outside.

'For Kana-chan and her sensei's,' thought Mitsu. She continued down the hallway to pass the laundry and three small bedrooms. Between the two rooms was a small bathroom with a simple shower, no tub.

'Heh, Kana-chan's gonna hate that. She adores her bubble baths.'

While silently Mitsu roamed the house, Izumo watched her anxiously. He was worried if the home was not to her liking. Maybe she was used to more traditional surroundings like the Hyuugas. He never pegged her as the type, but her continued silence troubled him. He was about to suggest the Konoha Hotel when he heard a squeal of delight come from the master bedroom. He rushed to the bedroom door to find Mitsu rolling on the king-sized bed and cuddling a big pillow.

"A bed! A real bed with soft pillows! I'm in heaven!"

Izumo let out a sigh of relief then watched in amusement as the fully grown woman wrapped herself in a cocoon of satin sheets and soft blankets. He snickered as Mitsu peeked out of the mound of covers.

"What? You would too if you had nothing, but bedrolls and hammocks to sleep in for a month. And I swear they put wood boards in those inn mattresses!"

"There was the hospital bed," reminded Izumo.

"Well, I was too exhausted to fully appreciate it," she retorted.

Izumo smiled as he watched her remake the bed, "So am I to assume you appreciate the whole house?"

"Absolutely," she smiled brightly, "In fact, it's almost too much!"

"Really," he joked, "Because we can always set you up in a cramped apartment."

"I said _almost_ too much," Mitsu sneered as she crawled off the bed. Izumo's breath hitched as he watched the beautiful woman slowly creep across the king-sized bed on her hands and knees.

Breaking him out of the trance, he heard Mitsu gasp then saw her turn to another door to the right.

"Please, oh please," she prayed aloud, "Yes! A master bath with a humongous tub. Oh, it's gorgeous. Izumo-san, you have to see this!"

Curious, he followed her into the master bath. The tub was enormous. It was definitely fit for a visiting Kage. The floors were heated marble and a huge mirror hung over intricately carved dual sinks. Izumo whistled at all the attention to detail the designer must have went through.

Mitsu went to the closet and pulled out a couple of fluffy pink towels, "A hot bath in this dream tub is an absolutely perfect end to the day." She sat on the edge of the tub and turned the "H" spigot to full.

"Hmmm," murmured Mitsu, "The plumbing must be pretty good. I didn't have to wait long for the hot water".

Unfortunately, Izumo was no longer listening. In fact, he was no longer awake. That is what he decided, since the sight before him could not possibly be real.

Mitsu was sitting on the tub's edge alright, but her dusty brown kimono had disappeared. In its stead, a fluffy pink towel was wrapped around her naked torso and her fingers were not testing the hot water, but beckoning him to join her.

"Izumo-kun," she whispered seductively. Entranced he took a step towards her.

"Izumo-kun, the water feels heavenly." He took another step closer. His eyes had darkened with desire and all he could think of was how a flick of his wrist would send that damn towel flying.

The Chuunin saw her lick her lips in anticipation and twist a burgundy lock in her fingers, "Izumo-san".

'San? Where did the -kun go?' Izumo hesitated as his fantasy started to fall apart.

"Izumo-san? Do you think so, " asked Mitsu again expecting an answer. Her kimono had returned, the towels sat folded, and the hot water had been turned off. Disappointment had nothing on what he was feeling at that point.

"Gomen, Mitsu-san," he sighed, "Could you repeat the question"?

"Would the general store we passed by have any bubble bath?"

Oh, he so did not need to hear this. His face had turned brighter than a tomato and it felt like a hundred degrees in the bathroom. He merely shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing how he got himself into this situation.

"Hmmm," Mitsu pursed her lips as a finger tapped her bottom lip, "Maybe bath oils or I could hit a flower shop for rose petals."

He needed to get out of here and fast, "Well, it looks like you love the place. So I'll just go...now!" He practically ran out of the bathroom and into the other end of the hallway.

Confused, Mitsu quickly followed her guide, "Thank you for seeing me home, Izumo-san."

Shyly, she gave him a small smile, "If you're ever in the neighborhood, please feel free to visit. We can have tea and cookies. I could make you some of my famous kabocha cookies."

"Cookies," he whispered. His mind's eye conjured up a vision of a smirking Mitsu standing with a tray full of cookies and wearing nothing but a lacy apron. Izumo could feel his pants start to tighten.

Not trusting himself to keep his imagination under control, he carefully thought out his reply, "That...would be...nice, Mitsu-chan. The suffix was out before he realized it. Damn subconscious! He quickly turned around and was about to dash out the door, when Sakura carrying a comatose Kana in her arms. Next to the pink-haired girl was her wailing teammate Naruto.

"Hello, Izumo. Is Mitsu-san home?" Mitsu ran to the door and pulled Kana from Sakura's arms.

"Kami, what happened," asked her mother.

"I lost," cried the blond shinobi, "That's what happened. I lost my title as Ichiraku's number one fan to an eight year old ga-ga-gir-hur-hurl!" He burst into tears again.

Sakura beaned Naruto on the side of his head then turned to Mitsu, "She passed out from eating too much ramen. She'll be fine after a nap".

Izumo welcomed the distraction as an easy way out, "I'll be going now. I hope Kana-chan feels better".

Mitsu waved as best she could with a child in her arms, "Good bye, Izumo-," The dark-haired man disappeared in a blur before she could finish.

"-Kun," she whispered somewhat dejectedly.

If it were not for Sakura's keen ninja hearing, the pinkette would never have heard Mitsu's whisper out of all the racket Naruto was making. Smirking, she reminded Mitsu about Kana's training session the next day and wished them a good day. Sakura made a mental note to talk to Ino about this interesting development. A little matchmaking nudging may be in order.

Naruto and Sakura continued down the street with the Kyuubi vessel mourning the loss of his title.

"Baka," she shouted, "You wouldn't have lost to Kana-chan if you remembered about the six bowls of ramen Neji bought you earlier. Besides it's not like it matters since you both lost when Chouji showed up!"

Naruto cried even harder, "Chouji doesn't count. He can eat anything and it's just training!"

Sakura sighed at her teammate and pinched his ear, "Come on. Let's see if Hinata can cheer you up."


	3. Chapter 3

Warning: Lots of slapstick humor coming up. More Sak/Neji goodness though. Kana's lack of shinobi skills while having the first Sharingan tomoe will be addressed in Chapter Four.

**Chapter Three**

Sunbeams dawned on the still sleepy Konoha, as a very nervous pinkette was making her way to the hospital. She looked over her notebook repeatedly and tried to hold back the butterflies threatening to bust through her gut. It was Exam day. To be specific, it was Giving Her First Physical Examination Day. Every medic-nin had to go through it. A trial by fire set up to test the young doctors' abilities to keep a professional mind during a potentially embarrassing situation.

Sakura spent most of last night preparing her mind to deal with a horny Kiba, a hyperactive Naruto, or even a foul mouthed Sai. She will not let any of them rattle her cage. No, Haruno Sakura was a professional, a rock, an ice cube... As Sakura passed by familiar gates with white-eyed pokerfaced guards and inspiration hit her.

'A Hyuuga! I am a Hyuuga!' Sakura did a mental air-punch and internally repeated the mantra.

'I am a Hyuuga. I have a stick so far up my ass that my brain has turned off all emotion!'

Sakura had a confident smile on her face by the time she entered the Hospital and headed for her exam room. Shizune was there waiting next to Sakura's proctor. She gave them a wave and looked them straight in the eyes. Nobody was going to fail her now!

"Good morning, Sir! Hello Shizune! Beautiful Day isn't it." Shizune gave her "little sister" an encouraging thumbs up.

The medic-nin proctor gave her a nod and pulled out his clipboard, "Good morning to you too, Haruno-san. Your patient is waiting in the other room. Shall we?"

Sakura's mantra kept repeating in her mind, 'I am a Hyuuga. I am a rock. I am an ice cube. I am a Hyuuga. I am a rock. I am an ice cube. I am..." All three walked in and pulled open the blue curtain to reveal a half naked Hyuuga Neji.

'Kami! I'm gonna fail!'

Sakura carefully prepared smile froze and her hand covertly grabbed Shizune's own.

With a sweet voice, the pinkette said, "I just remembered something. I need to talk to Shizune. It will only take a moment." Sakura dragged the surprised Shizune back out the door and grabbed the older woman by the lapels.

"Are you crazy," she whispered harshly while shaking her superior, "I can't do this with him! I just can't! You can't make me!"

Shizune pulled Sakura's hands off her lab coat, "Okay! Okay! You don't have to. We'll reschedule." The poor girl gave sigh of relief.

"But you know," said Shizune, "Once the proctor discovers that you canceled because of an attraction to Neji-kun, and he _will_, he'll simply reschedule Neji for your next exam. Then he'll keep doing it until you pass. This is the whole point of the exam...to be _professional_".

Shaking in frustration, Sakura narrowed her eyes at Shizune, "You guys are sick, sick people."

"No, we treat sick, sick people and now, you too. Anyway it's better to get it over with the first time. So take a moment to collect yourself, go in there, and kick ass...but not literally." Shizune gave Sakura a hug then walked back into the room.

Sakura paced outside the room, trying to keep calm, "A rock, an ice cube, a ..."

'Aw, shut up. Just turn off your feelings and get the job done. You're a ninja. You can do this.'

"I can do this! I will do this! I have to do this," she grasped the handle of the room door, "I can't believe I'm doing this!"

-------------------------------------------------------

It was after breakfast when Ino showed up for Kana's first training session. She greeted Mitsu with a stack of papers and a brochure of the Konoha Ninja Academy.

"Hello, Mitsu-san. I have all the applications Kana needs to attend the academy and here's a little information on the curriculum," Ino then turned to Kana who had been waiting on pins and needles for her lessons.

"I see you're ready to go, Kana-chan," smiled Ino, "Let's head to the dojo and we can start working."

Sitting at the kitchen table, Mitsu looked over the stack of paperwork and sighed.

"Well," she cracked her knuckles and grabbed a pen, "Here comes the writer's cramp!"

It took about an hour before Mitsu finished filling out all the applications. She was grateful the Hokage had filled in the emergency contact information for her. It would be hard to explain to the teacher that Kana's nearest relatives were hopefully far far away...preferably dead or at least horribly disfigured with no hope of recovery. Yes, even little Sasuke's exploits reached overseas and no one wanted to tangle with any Uchiha. Shaking her hand out, she went to check up on Kana and her sensei.

She saw Kana running across the yard trying to climb the biggest tree in the yard with chakra. Mitsu thought back to her first lesson and how her own sensei liked to use the sink or swim method. In her case, use your chakra or sink to the bottom of the lake. Mitsu walked to the bench where Ino sat.

"Hey Ino, I've finished with these and the academy looks great. When do you think Kana can start?"

Ino glanced at the papers making sure everything was filled, "As soon as, the application is dropped off. She can start tomorrow, if you like. I can give it to Iruka-sensei after we're done."

Mitsu shook her head, "No need. If you're gonna be here a while, I can drop it off myself. There's a map to the school on the brochure. It shouldn't be too hard to get there."

"Okay," Ino shrugged, "I should be here for another hour and then Sakura will start. Take your time, explore Konoha for a bit. Sakura and I will keep an eye on Kana-chan."

"Thank you, Ino. That's sweet of you," she turned to her panting daughter, "Kana-chan! I'm going to out for a bit. I'm signing you up for their academy, so please don't cause your sensei's any trouble...please!"

Too short of breath, Kana rolled her eyes at her mother and gave her a short wave. Chuckling, Mitsu went back inside the house and out the door. After watching the eight year old try unsuccessfully to reach half way up the large tree trunk, Ino looked Kana over thoughtfully and wondered if her student might need help building up her leg strength.

'Hmmm,' she mused, 'Maybe something unconventional might help.'

"Kana-chan come here please. Take a moment to catch your breath." Kana slowly walked up to her sensei and sat on the bench.

"Do you mind if we try something different?"

"Not really. What is it?"

"Ok, focus your chakra at your feet again. Now jump as high as you can." Ino watched Kana jump half as high as the tree.

"Alright now try jumping higher." Kana tried again, but still not any higher than before.

"Tch. Well, looks like you're stuck at this level for a while. Let's work on your stamina. Put less chakra in your feet and continue jumping in place." Shaking her head in disbelief, Ino watched Kana jump like a kangaroo high on the wrong kind of grass.

'I thought Uchihas were supposed to be geniuses,' thought Ino, 'Let's hope her mom's genes start kicking in soon.'

Out of the corner of her eye, Ino saw something flitter around the garden wall adjacent to the Aburame compound. Could it be? Ino left Kana for a moment to see if a black beetle was looking for her or, as she hoped, Shino was looking for her. Sure enough, it was a Destruction Beetle flying around one of the pagoda lanterns. As soon as it noticed her approach, it quickly flew over the wall, probably back to the host.

"Damn," Ino glared at the high garden wall as if it was her worst enemy. She had half a mind to jump the wall and land in Shino's arms. That is _if_ Shino was there. It would be very embarrassing for her to be found on Aburame land without permission. Ino did not want to be nicknamed Stalker Girl... at least, not since Sasuke left.

"There's got to be a way for me to see who's over that wall without exposing myself." She paced back and forth until Ino heard a small voice from the other side of the yard.

"Ino-sensei, where'd you go? How long do I have to do this? I'm getting bored!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carefully studying the brochure's map, Mitsu walked past the Hokage Tower, oblivious to the figures slowly make their way down the spiral steps.

"Arghh, you would think Tsunade-sama would have learned to control her super strength by now," said Kotetsu as he maneuvered the broken desk.

"No kidding," grunted Izumo, "Furniture mover wasn't on the list of Chuunin duties when I last looked." As Izumo tried to get a better grip on the desk, he risked a look down the tower just in time to see his infatuation slowly walking down the street.

"Kami! There she is!" Izumo started to lose his grip on the desk, putting most of the weight on his teammate

"Izumo! What the hell? Ahh, my foot!"

His friend quickly grabbed the other end and pulled the desk of Kotetsu's foot, "Sorry about that, man. I got distracted."

"I could see that! Ow!" Then Kotetsu and Izumo sat the desk on one of the wider steps while they took a break.

"Sooo where's the hottie you were so willing to sacrifice my foot for?"

Izumo pointed below to the distracted woman standing alone in the middle of the street. Her burgundy hair was pinned up a messy bun and she had traded her travel kimono for simple black capris and a white blouse.

"That's her? That's the woman you got stone drunk over last night? I thought you were crazy about Mitsu-san!"

"Yes, yes, and yes." Izumo watched the curvy beauty forlornly.

"Huh?" Kotetsu looked at his friend like he had a screw loose.

Izumo sighed, "The Mitsu we saw the night before was a henge. That's the real Mitsu."

Kotetsu titled his head in appreciation, "Wow! She's twenty years younger and ten times hotter!"

The two men watched her look at the nearby street signs then she took a step back in confusion. Mitsu pulled the map closer to her face and read it again. She turned the map to upside down, then right side up. Flipping the brochure over and back, they could hear her yell in frustration.

"Fifty years out of date! Oh hell!" They saw her wave the brochure in the air like a rabid animal, stuff it back in her knapsack, then storm off in a random direction.

"Kotetsu, could you cover for me," pleaded Izumo.

His teammate waggled his finger, "We gotta get rid of this desk first. I can't do this by myself."

"But she's lost," whined Izumo like a Inuzuka in heat.

"Then move this desk _faster_," Kotetsu narrowed his eyes at his friend.

Out of nowhere, the two men heard a familiar voice hover over them, "Looks like there's a lovely lady in need of assistance. I think I'll offer my guidance to the poor woman." Sitting on the roof was Konoha's Famous Ladies' Man, The Copy-nin. Kakashi snapped his "Icha Icha" shut and gave Izumo a lazy salute. In a split second he was gone, leaving lover boy in a panic.

"Shit, shit and double shit!" Izumo ripped out an exploding tag and slapped it on the desk.

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In the distance, Mitsu heard a small explosion, but she ignored it since she just came that way. She hated feeling disoriented. It was humiliating to wander around town like a tourist. She made her way down the street looking for anything or anyone familiar.

"I'm starting to miss Izumo-kun".

Then she saw a sign saying "Might Gai Dojo, Taijustu" with a smaller sign saying "Accepting New Students". Her crimson eyes lit up. If there was at least one ninja or even a student, she could get directions to the academy.

She pulled open the door and slowly stepped inside, "Excuse me. Is anybody here?" She looked around the deserted room and waited for anyone to show up. After a couple of minutes, she shrugged her shoulders and turned around. All of sudden, a whirlwind of green and orange flashed in front of her.

"Gai-sensei, we have a visitor in your dojo!" A young man wearing green spandex stood next to her and pulled her to an older version of himself.

"Why yes, Lee! We do and a very youthful one at that! Her beauty doth encompass the bountiful springtime of youth!" She wanted to run, but for some reason her feet were too shocked. Their matching bowl cut hairstyles startled her at first, but it was the eyebrows that had her staring. As much as she tried, she could not look away. Her eyes swung back and forth between Freako Sr. and Freako Jr. It was as if they were _hypnotic_.

When Mitsu broke out of her trance, she managed to sputter out, "Ninja Academy"?

"Ah, yes the Academy," said Freako Jr., "Only a few short years ago, I had just graduated from my home away from home."

Mitsu smiled in relief, "Thank goodness, because...ah my eyes!"

Freako Sr. interrupted Mitsu with dazzling sunlight reflecting off his teeth, "My youthful lady, it is admirable you would want to sign up for my lessons despite graduating from our elite academy."

Mitsu shook her head fiercely, "You misunderstand! My daughter is going to the academy and I..."

"Of course! You want to brush up on your taijutsu so you can help your little one with her homework. What a dedicated mother!"

Freako Jr. gave a small sniffle, "Such devotion to a child I have not seen since Gai-sensei took me under his wing."

Freako Sr. suddenly started crying, "Oh Lee!"

Then Freako Jr. cried even harder, "Oh Gai-sensei!" They jumped into an embrace that Mitsu was sure she should not have witnessed.

Then out of the midst of the love fest, she heard a third voice say, "Yo". She looked behind the hugging ninja to see a tall and handsome leaf-nin wearing a dark mask over most of his face and a forehead protector over one eye. He was casually leaning in the open doorway, looking over his comrades at the frightened woman behind them.

Looking at what possibly could be her salvation, Mitsu mouthed the words, "Help Me" to her knight in ninja gear.

Kakashi gave her a sly wink then walked up to his eternal rival, "Why hello Gai. I thought you and Lee were training outside of town. I guess you're now too tired for our weekly challenge."

"Not in the least, Kakashi. I challenge you to a race from here to the Hokage Monument and back."

"And I will go with you, Sensei! To witness your victory!" Before anyone said "Go", the two green freaks were off down the road, kicking up clouds of dust.

Mitsu savored her freedom as she ran out the dojo, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now could you please tell me where the Ninja Academy is?"

Kakashi chuckled at the frantic woman, "I'll do you one better. I'll show you." He calmly held out his arm and waited for her to accept. Desperate to finish her chore, Mitsu decided to take his arm.

"So," Mitsu sighed as she rolled her eyes, "Kind sir, may I ask for your name?"

"Hatake Kakashi. And you must be Mitsu-san."

"Wow, I didn't think I registered on the Gossip Radar so fast."

"Ah, but when a gorgeous angel such as yourself appears, even the heavens must take notice." Kakashi leaned closer to Mitsu and gave her a masked smile.

Mitsu inwardly groaned in despair, 'Casanova's been reborn and he's only got one eye.'

Hoping to thwart any more amorous advances, Mitsu tried to change the subject.

"So the academy must be something special to produce so many skilled ninja for one village. I hope my daughter will enjoy her time there." To her satisfaction, she could feel Kakashi stiffen and his eye widened a faction.

"I'm sure your little girl will be just fine. She will make you and her father quite proud." Mitsu secretly grinned at his attempt to test the waters for any jealous husband that might come rampaging for his hide. As far as she was concerned, he could think she was married to the Kazekage. Just as long as he took her to the damn Ninja Academy!

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Ten minutes of the exam had passed by and so far so good. The exam was going well and Shizune was impressed with Sakura's turn around.

Neji did have a questioning look in his eye when Sakura re-entered the room, but she ignored it and went into serious medic-nin mode. There was a momentary falter when Sakura had to check Neji's pupils. Looking into each others' eyes for an extended period of time started a blush, but she successfully fought it down.

The pinkette was so proud of herself. Sakura did not even flinch when she listened to his heartbeat. All she had to do was convince herself that she had no desire to check out Neji's pecs. Nope, not one bit of hormone driven compulsion to run her hands across his strong muscled chest and nibble lightly along the warm flesh.

'Focus!'

Blinking away the fantasy, Sakura walked around the table to check his lungs. Her hands reached out to brush his long dark hair out of the way, but they suddenly had minds of their own. They were much too low and her fingers were itching to softly trace along his broad shoulders then tickle down his spine to press themselves under Neji's pants.

'Stop!' Her hands froze in mid air.

'Move two inches higher.' They complied.

'Gather up the hair and move it over his shoulder.' Her hands pulled up his soft hair then threw it over Neji's shoulder. At this point, Sakura was blessing her inner self for running interference with her subconscious. Once she regained control, the pinkette pressed her stethoscope to his back and asked him to take deep breaths.

The rest of the exam was a breeze after that, but Shizune could not help but notice Sakura's continued glassy green eyes and somewhat far away voice. The older woman hoped that the proctor was clueless about Sakura's odd behavior. She was pretty sure Neji noticed, but true to Hyuuga nature, he held back any comments.

While Neji got dressed, out in the hallway, the proctor handed Shizune his clipboard. "Passed with flying colors...as expected by an apprentice to Tsunade-sama. I thought I had her with Hyuuga-san, but I guess one can't trust rumors all the time. You should be proud Shizune-san."

He gave spaced-out Sakura a pat on the back then left. Just then a fully dressed Neji walked out of the hospital room and gave a short bow.

"Until next year, Shizune-san," he then gave Sakura a worried look, "It was nice seeing you again, Sakura."

The pinkette gave him a plastic smile and waved, "It was nice seeing you too, Neji. Stay healthy"! The young man gave her a slight nod and walked away.

Shizune moved a hand in front of Sakura's face, hoping the girl would snap out of...whatever it was that was bothering her.

"Is the exam over," asked Sakura in a sing-song voice.

"Hai."

"Is Neji gone?" Shizune looked at the end of the hallway to see Neji disappear outside the hospital doors.

"Hai."

"Is the proctor gone?"

"Hai."

"Okay then...Oh Kami-sama!" Sakura started to crumple into a heap of sobbing girl. She was visibly shaking from all the pent up sexual frustration she had been keeping at bay for an hour.

"I tried. I tried sooo hard. My hands, my damn hands were moving on their own. I swear if I hadn't stopped them in time...", Shizune pulled the babbling pinkette off the floor and dragged her to a room.

'Damn, this girl's got it bad,' thought Shizune. The older woman then pushed the hysterical Sakura into the bathroom and turned on the cold water.

"I'll get you some towels and spare clothes," sighed Shizune, "I suggest you take a cold shower...preferably freezing."

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Ino had to admit, Kana was reaching greater heights and having more stable landings. All the eight year old needed was a measuring stick: the garden wall, and a goal: find Shino.

(Jump) "Okay." (Jump)

(Jump) "Describe to me again." (Jump)

(Jump) "What he looks like?" (Jump)

"Well, he wears a long sleeve coat with a high collar covering his mouth and sunglasses over his eyes. If his hood is down, his hair is black, thick, and bushy."

(Jump) "Right." (Jump) A few minutes passed as Kana moved a little further down the garden wall.

(Jump) "Still nothing...hey wait!" (Jump)

(Jump) "Long coat." (Jump)

"Yes."

(Jump) "High collar." (Jump)

"Yes."

(Jump) "Sunglasses." (Jump)

"Yes."

(Jump) "Bushy hair" (Jump)

"Oh yes! Yes! Yes!" Ino was beside herself with hormonal joy.

(Jump) "Hey Mister!" Kana shouted as loud as she could. (Jump)

(Jump) "Are you Shino-san?" (Jump) The little girl peered over the wall.

The Aburame in question raised an eyebrow and his voice, "No. I'm his father, Shibi-sama."

"Oh shit," Ino shouted. She ran to Kana and pounced on the girl's legs.

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Kakashi was leading Mitsu down the street and taking her the long way around to the academy.

'No sense rushing love, now is there?' He relished the feel of Mitsu's dainty hand on his arm. Mitsu on the other hand was getting annoyed as she recognized some of the shops they were passing. Unknown to the pair, Izumo and Kotetsu had finally caught up with them and were hiding in the shadows.

"Damn," Izumo fumed as he tried to think of a plan.

"Don't you think the note was overdoing it a bit," grumbled Kotetsu, "You nearly singed my eyebrows."

"It's gone isn't it? Now we just need to get Mitsu away from Kakashi."

"Uh huh," Kotetsu glared at his friend, "Since when was this a "We" thing. I know better than to get in your way, but Kakashi's a little out of our league."

"I'm not saying we kill him," Izumo rolled his eyes.

Kotetsu crossed his arms, "Good, cause we couldn't if we tried."

"I just want you to distract him while I go help Mitsu. That's all!"

"Fine," sighed his teammate, "But you owe me big!"

Kotetsu then felt a rather familiar chakra signature bearing down on their masked target, "It looks like we're gonna have a distraction whether we like it or not." He pointed to a rising dust cloud heading their way.

Mitsu was frustrated that this masked nin was messing with her and for what 'Romance'! Trying to clear her head, Mitsu stopped saying that she need to tighten her sandals. As Kakashi leaned back to get a better look at her ass...

One moment he was admiring a lovely backside, the next he was flying a hundred feet in the air, "What the hell happened"? Kakashi pushed his forehead protector to one side and peered with his Sharingan into the dust cloud below.

"Gai, You bastard." Sure enough Gai had realized his mistake in leaving a lady alone with Kakashi and had turned around to defend her honor. When Mitsu looked up from her sandals, Kakashi was gone and there was nothing by flying dust around her.

"Huh?" Sighing she pulled out the brochure again, "Maybe the signs will start making sense now" then continued down another street.

Further down the road Gai was trying to decelerate, when he found himself stuck to the ground by Izumo's Syrup Capture Field.

"Hey, Not Youthful!"

Kotetsu came out of nowhere and tried to bind a still airborn Kakashi to the nearest flagpole. The clone disappeared and the real Kakashi sent Kotetsu reeling into an empty apartment.

Still quite oblivious to the commotion behind her, Mitsu kept walking along, hoping to find a more reliable guide. It just so happened that Genma stepped out of the Ninja Supply Store. She gasped and ran straight for him.

"Oh thank goodness, I found you. I'm desperate!" Genma was stunned. He could not remember that last time a lovely lady said that to him and actually meant it.

"You have no idea how wonderful it would be if you would just come with me," Genma's senbon nearly fell out. A gorgeous woman propositioning him in broad daylight and not a drop of alcohol was involved.

Mitsu pulled out her map then turned around to point to the street signs. At that moment, Izumo lept from the shadows with a flying tackle, crashing the both men through the back of the Ninja Supply Store.

"I really need to find the academy, but this brochure is out of date." She turned back around to find empty air.

"Well that's just damn rude," she shouted to no one in particular then continued wandering around Konoha.

Gai had easily freed himself from the sticky trap then he lept to where Kakashi and Kotetsu were trading blows. Once inside the apartment, Gai launched himself at Kakashi while Kotetsu was trying to trip the Copy-nin with a leg tackle. Dodging both ninja, Kakashi was highly annoyed that anyone dared to mess with his love life.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Back at the Ninja Supply, Genma was ducking from Izumo's punches. Customers went running out of the store and the owner was in hysterics.

"Back off, Toothpick," growled Izumo.

"Keep Dreaming, Wannabe," Genma sneered. He spat his senbon at Izumo's leg, but the Chuunin deflected it with a nearby kunai.

"Hey, you're paying for that kunai," yelled the shopkeeper.

In the meantime, Mitsu was trying to ignore the rumbling going on in the other street, "Tch, I can't think with all this noise." Then she saw two women walking towards her, obviously dressed as kunoichi. Mitsu had never been so happy to see fellow kunoichi. Women were much more reliable.

She ran up to them and gave them a short bow, "Hello, my name's Mitsu. I'm new here and I really need to drop off my daughter's application to the Ninja Academy. Could you give me directions, please"?

The taller woman with long black hair, wearing a red and white dress, had eyes as red as Mitsu's. The dark haired lady gave her a reassuring smile, "I'm Yuuhi Kurenai and we'd be happy to help."

The other with a spiky ponytail and tan trench coat waved hello with her dango stick, "Mitarashi Anko...The Academy is not far from here. We can show you."

Right then Kurenai and Anko were stunned to see Gai appear several feet behind Mitsu. He had a bouquet of red roses and a gleaming smile on his face.

He was suddenly grabbed and swung around several times by Kakashi, who let him fly into an abandoned department store. Kakashi managed to grasp a flying red rose and took a step towards an unaware Mitsu.

Then the Copy-nin was kicked out of the street and into the same department store as Gai by Genma, who smoothly caught the red rose in his teeth. The brown-haired shinobi was about to tap Mitsu's shoulder, when Izumo threw a lasso of chakra draining rope and pulled Genma into the department store.

Kurenai put one hand on her hip and shook her head in disgust, "Guys are so stupid." Anko thoughtfully chewed on her dango as the three of them could hear the all-out brawl going on inside the building. Confused with all the noise, Mitsu finally turned around to see what the other two women were watching.

"It's awfully noisy around here. Is it safe for the academy to have such a racket going on?" Kurenai and Anko shared a knowing glance as they waited for the inevitable.

Sure enough, as soon as Kotetsu summoned out his super-sized spiked seashell, the building supports started getting hit. In a few seconds, the department store started to fall part. Shadows of escaping shinobi were seen leaving the scene of destruction. As the air cleared, lo and behold in the distance, a large sign saying "Konoha Ninja Academy" appeared.

"Finally," cried Mitsu, "You two are officially my friends for life!" The two other women shrugged nonchalantly.

"No problem," said Anko then gestured in the school's direction, "Let's go before anything else happens."

"We'll introduce you to Umino Iruka," Kurenai grinned mischievously, "He's pretty cute."

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As soon as Neji was through the Hospital Doors, he took off for home as fast as he could possibly run. He rushed past the guards, through the compound, into the house and slammed into his bedroom. It felt like his body was on fire and he could not control it. He dumped himself on the bed and screamed his sexual frustration into a pillow.

When the proctor asked Neji if it was alright for his annual check up would be administered by a medic-nin in training, he had no idea it would be Sakura. But there she was, beautiful and enchanting, touching him in the most frustrating way. Light, soft brushes of her fingertips sent jolts of pleasure coursing through his body and if he had not had years of practiced self-control, he would have jumped her then and there on the examination table. Shizune and the proctor might have had some objections, but a few choice hits on their pressure points would have rendered them unconscious.

"Arrgh!" He could not believe he was contemplating taking Sakura on the cold examination table. Speaking of Sakura, she was acting awfully weird. Almost like she forced herself through the entire appointment. Was he that repulsive that she needed to mentally pull away from him?

"Neji-san," came the housekeeper's voice from behind his bedroom door, "You haven't check your mail yet. What would you like me to with your fan mail?"

'Oh yeah,' thought Neji, 'Those fan girls again. I wouldn't have fan girls, if I was repulsive, right?'

"Neji-san" asked the housekeeper again.

"Burn them," Neji finally replied, "Please make sure I'm not disturbed unless it's an emergency."

"Hai, Neji-san." The dark shinobi reviewed the whole appointment in his mind. He remembered his heart nearly stopped when Sakura examined his pupils for so long. Then he could have sworn her hands were about to caress his shoulder, but they merely pushed his hair out of the way. It was a good thing she asked him to take deep breaths. He needed oxygen at that point. Neji's pants were now beyond tight. They were painful and he needed to take care of the problem.

"I need a cold shower," he grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom, "Preferably freezing!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Two ANBU appeared before a furious Tsunade and knelt before her, "Hokage-sama, we have yet to apprehend the perpetrators, but reports are coming in that the five men responsible were Shiranui Genma, Hatake Kakashi, Hagane Kotetsu, Kamizuki Izumo, and Might Gai."

The Hokage's jaw dropped, "What the hell were those dolts doing?"

The ANBU nervously glanced at each other, "Ahh, there were eyewitnesses saying that...uh...they were trying to get a woman's attention."

"Really? Whose?"

"We don't know yet. She seems to be a new face, but people describe her with long red-brown hair, eyes like Yuuhi Kurenai, and an upside-down map in her hands."

Tsunade almost fell over, but that would not be dignifying for a Hokage. Especially a Hokage that was going to personally drop kick five shinobi asses.

"I want their butts here by the end of the day," hissed Tsunade.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," then they disappeared. The tall blond could feel a whopper of a migraine starting. Sake was not going to be enough to help her relax. She was going to need something stronger.

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A red faced Sakura carried a bag of wet clothes and walked down the road towards Kana-chan's house. If she had not been thrown in the shower with her clothes on, she would not be in this mess. Unfortunately, for some reason Shizune thought she needed a good dowsing immediately. Now there was no time for her to pick up a dry outfit from home and make it to Kana's training. Sakura had scowled at her "Big Sister" when she came out of the bathroom. She was also not entirely happy with the dry clothes Shizune scrounged up.

"Just remember to bend at the knees," Sakura mimicked Shizune with a sour tone.

'I'll get her for this someday! When she leasts expects it!'

The pinkette walked past the Hyuuga Compound and did not bother to give the guards her customary nod when they stared at her.

"Stupid Hyuuga mantra. Almost failed because of that," she grumbled to the empty road.

'No, it was your stupid hormones that almost failed you.'

Sakura's scowl deepened further as she cursed at how much she actually did depend on her inner self. Thankfully, Kana-chan's home appeared and Sakura could lose herself in work once again.

"My legs," came a wail from the backyard, "My le-e-e-gsss!" Sakura ran through the gate and into the backyard to find Ino bending over a distraught Kana.

"Calm down," soothed Ino, "You're legs are just fine... it's just a little lactic acid in your muscles."

"A little! They burn like hell!" Kana started to cry some more. Sakura carefully knelt next to Ino and started summoning her chakra.

"What happened," asked the confused pinkette as she helped Ino neutralize the lactic acid.

"I was helping Kana-chan build up her stamina and I-"

"She crashed into my legs! That's what she did! That's the last time I help you find your Shino-kun."

"Shino-kun? Find Shino-kun? Ino, what the hell! You're supposed to be teaching, not flirting."

Ino raised her hands in defense, "She was actually doing quite well...making higher jumps and her landings were more focused."

"Really," suddenly beamed the schizo Kana, "Should I do more?"

Sakura pulled the eight year old up, "No more physical training for today. Time to learn how to fine tune your chakra focus."

"Okay!" Kana gave a short salute to her sensei.

"I'll take over now, Ino," she smiled at her friend, "Maybe now would be a good time to find Shino-kuuuun," then made kissy noises. Kana and Sakura giggled as Ino burned bright red.

Not about to be outdone, Ino looked Sakura up and down, "Sakura, why are you wearing a nurse's dress?" It was Sakura's turn to feel embarrassed. She sputtered while slightly tugging down on the bottom of her dress.

"My other uniform got a little wet. Shizune let me borrow a hospital uniform."

"Well, it's way too short. Better not let any guys see you, especially Kiba. Remember bend at the knees," the blond bounced on her legs. Ino laughed as she walked away from the fuming kunoichi. Sakura's fists shook horribly, itching to send Ino flying off the property.

Sakura felt a small hand tapping her arm, immediately cooling her temper, "I'm ready to start Sakura-Sensei!" She turned to her bright eyed student and gave her a nod.

"Right! Chakra focusing! Hold out both your arms, like me." She held out her arms in front of her and waited for Kana as she did the same.

"Now, to start at the easiest level... focus your chakra from your shoulders to your finger tips." Sakura could feel the girl's chakra build up in her arms properly.

"Very good, now start pushing the chakra at your shoulders down into your elbow." The soft glow around Kana's arms started to brighten as the upper edge moved lower.

"Okay, do the same thing only down to wrists." Sakura frowned as she watched Kana strain to concentrate her chakra. When Kana had beads of sweat on her brow and her eyes were squeezed shut, Sakura started to worry.

"Kana, relax. Don't push it," She carefully held a hand over Kana's forehead to feel some heat building up.

"Alright Kana-chan, that's enough...let go." Kana dropped into her sensei's arms, clearly exhausted. Sakura pulled the midnight hair out of the way to push some healing chakra into the girl's forehead.

"Hm, a slight headache for your efforts, but you'll be fine," concluded the pinkette. They made their way to the bench and took a break.

Sakura turned to Kana with a serious face, "Kana-chan, the file the Hokage gave me said that you have the first tomoe. Can you show me?"

Kana closed her eyes then opened, revealing her blood red eyes with only one black tear drop in either pupil.

"You're really young to get your Sharingan activated. There was only one other who managed to do that."

Kana nodded sagely, "Sasuke, right?"

"No. It was Itachi." Sakura watched the little girl's face blanch in horror.

"Am I gonna become a monster," she whimpered.

Sakura smiled sweetly, "I highly doubt it. You see Itachi had _mastered_ the Sharingan by your age and he just accelerated after that. I think the reason why the Hokage decided to train you right now was that you might be like him. To tell you the truth, I'm a little relieved that your progress is slow. Do you mind if I ask how yours activated?"

Kana lowered her head, "There was a man, who tried to kill my mom. He said he had been hunting her for years. Wanted to make her pay for killing his friend. Mom told him that was a long time ago... that it was her mission and he should understand. He wouldn't listen. He hurt her badly. Said he was going to kill her, then kill me. I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. I grabbed my mom's kunai and jumped in front of his katana". The eight year old shivered at how close to death she had been.

"If my Sharingan didn't activate right then, we would have both been dead. By that time our village's ANBU finally arrived, captured the man, but I still worry about mom. She made a lot of enemies years ago. I really wish my dad was still alive. Maybe he could have helped." Sakura thought to the file mentioning Keitaro and highly doubted he could do much.

Sakura pulled the little girl into a hug and ruffled her dark hair, "Hey, you helped! That's a lot and the both of you are in Konoha now. Any bastard that tries to get too close will end up getting their ass thoroughly kicked."

"Now," Sakura pulled Kana up, "Let's get back to work. We'll do the same thing only take it much slower. Okay?"

Kana grinned at the pinkette, "Okay, Sensei!"

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"So it's settled then," said Kotetsu as the agreed upon neutral mediator, "A temporary truce for the rest of the day, let the Hokage blow off some steam, and give Konoha some time to repair." The other men agreed with their own set of grumbling.

Gai, on the other hand, was still too stubborn to just let things lie, "A truce for the day, Yes! But I swear on the springtime of youth, that tomorrow I will show the dear Mitsu the blossoming flower of our love and I will sweep her off her feet!" He then ran off to prepare for his courting the next day. Kakashi, Genma, and Izumo itched to take off as well and accost every flower, jewelry, and candy shop within a five mile radius.

Kotetsu sighed, "Come on, guys! We all know Gai hasn't got a chance in hell. Just let him go. Kami, we need to be scarse! There's too many ANBU here. I know, lets go to the bathhouse and relax. I'll pay."

Izumo had to agree with his teammate. Every one of them was covered in dust and grime. Even his bangs were starting to stick to his right cheek. They turned on the next street and crossed the bridge leading to the Konoha Baths.

Coming down another street, Kurenai and Anko were leading Mitsu to one of their favorite hot spots.

"Are you sure about the bathhouse," asked Mitsu, "I've heard there's this pervy hermit that seems to find knotholes to all the baths in the land of Fire."

"You mean Jiraiya," Kurenai laughed, "Yeah, we know about him. So does Tsunade. That's why just last week she reinforced the fence surrounding the womens' side. All the holes were plugged up and sealed with her personal chakra."

Anko whooped when the Konoha Baths came into view, "It's also the best place to pick up the latest dirt. Hey look, there's Tsunade-sama heading inside! It's gotta be safe now."

"Well, okay, but I gotta get back to Kana-chan in a couple hours."

The four comrades sighed in contentment as they soaked in the hot spring water and took in the comforting steam. Genma passed around the cups of sake and they all settled in for a calming hour. Just on the other side of the fence, Tsunade was making herself comfortable in the far side of the pool while sipping on her sake.

"So do you think this brawl in the streets will blow over by tomorrow," came Izumo's voice over the fence. Tsunade's cup stopped in mid-air.

'Those idiots are here? Here? What the hell do we train ANBU for if they can't find their fellow shinobi in their own backyard!" Just then Anko walked in from the changing room and waved to the Hokage.

"Good afternoon...," Anko stopped when Tsunade held her finger up to her lips. The confused kunoichi swam up close to the Hokage and whispered, "Who are we hiding from?"

"The four bakas who saved me a ton of money from the Konoha Demolition Squad," Tsunade pointed to the fence.

"Tch," Anko shook her head, "Well, they certainly worked up a sweat tearing that place apart. They should get cleaned up. Oh no! Mitsu's here!"

Tsunade shushed her subordinate, "Not too loud. I don't want them to know I'm here."

Anko nodded, pointed back to the changing rooms, and whispered, "But Mitsu's here. Do you want us to take her somewhere else?"

The blond thought for a moment then grinned, "Hell no. This is gonna be way too much fun to watch. Just keep Mitsu on the other side of the pool. I don't want her knowing her romeos are here. They'll just scare her off." Anko nodded and swam to other side to wait for her friends.

Kurenai and Mitsu opened the sliding door and entered the pool, "Hi Anko! How's the water?"

"It's really nice, MITSU. You should come in," Anko waved the other two to follow her to the far side of the pool away from the men's fence. Kurenai and Mitsu noticed the Hokage and gave her a quick bow before sitting next to Anko.

"So MITSU!" Four sets of ears twitched as a familiar name wafted through the steamy air.

"Why don't you tell us about yourself," Kurenai looked at Anko as if she was crazy.

"What are you doing," Kurenai mouthed behind Mitsu's back.

"Under orders," Anko mouthed back and pointed to Tsunade. Kurenai turned around to look at the Hokage.

'What's she playing at,' thought the brunette.

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Wearily, Neji pulled himself out of the shower and wrapped the fuzzy towel around his waist. The cold water had helped somewhat, but he still had a vision of pink hair burned into his brain. He pulled on some clean clothes and stretched himself out on his bed.

"Haruno Sakura," he whispered gently. Ever since that day in the Hokage Tower, his opinion of the pink haired medic-nin had turned from Sasuke-obsessed nerdette to scholarly temptress. The way her body presented itself to him was breathtaking. It was like her legs were begging him to rub his hands down her soft hips, trail his fingers over her creamy thighs, and find the center of her pleasure.

"I just got OUT of the shower," he growled as he jumped out of bed, "I need to stop this. Clear my mind. Yes! Meditation will help." Neji made his way through the maze of the compound. The rock garden should be perfect. It felt solid, calm, and barren of all things pink.

Neji settled down next to an oversized boulder and closed his eyes. His breathing started to even out and his blood pressure began to drop to a normal level. Neji's mind eased into the familiar meditation routine and he started to focus on his body's chakra flow.

"That's it Kana-chan. Just try to keep a steady rate and don't rush." A light female voice traveled over the garden wall and into Neji's carefully created mental bubble.

"What the hell," whispered the young Jounin, "Who said that?" Neji activated his Byakugan and searched through the stone barrier. His eyes came across a little girl and the source of all his consternation earlier.

"Oh no," Neji moaned into his hands, "What's she doing here?" Keeping his eyes activated he watched Sakura guide the dark haired girl through a simple focus exercise. Neji was so absorbed in Sakura's voice, that it never registered that someone was walking up to him.

It was not until he felt a long finger flick hard in between his eyes, did he wake up to the presence next to him.

"Ow! Hiashi-sama?" He looked up at the stern visage of his uncle. The annoyed man leaned his face to his nephew.

"Talk to the girl!" Then the clan leader straightened up and waited for the young man to get up.

Neji stared at Hiashi, "Seriously?" Hiashi got his point across by raising a hand and directing Neji to the front gate.

Embarrassed for being so unobservant, Neji welcomed the chance to get out from Hiashi's severe gaze. He walked past the guards and down the road to the next set of gates. He stepped into the yard and peeked around the house corner. Sakura and Kana were standing outside the small dojo and had yet to notice the dark-haired shinobi.

Neji cleared his throat to get their attention. Kana tugged on Sakura's arm and pointed behind them. Sakura blushed for a moment to see Neji observing them.

"Neji," she subconsciously pulled on her dress hem and tried to smile, "Nice to see you again, but...um, what are you doing here?"

Neji looked the medic-nin over, while keeping a stoic face. That dress on her was positively delicious.

'That fantasy is definitely going to be a keeper,' mused Neji.

"I was in our garden and overheard you. I thought maybe your student could use some help with her exercise." Neji nodded to the eight year old, who smiled gratefully.

"Any help would be great! Arigato," Kana walked up to him and gave him a short bow, "My name is Kana."

"You may call me Neji-san," he held up his arms the same way as Kana had just done, "A nice trick to help with your chakra focusing is to time you movements with your breaths."

Kana watched as his chakra flow evenly down his arms to his wrists with every breath he took. She nodded in understanding and tried again.

She closed her eyes and listened to her breath. With each exhale, her chakra moved further down her arms. Soon, her chakra had concentrated itself in Kana's hands. Sakura clapped happily for her student.

"Good job, Kana-chan! Do you think you could do the same with your feet and try climbing the tree again?" Kana nodded excitedly and refocused her chakra into the feet. Then she took off for the tree. This time she made a little past halfway up the tree and twice as fast.

Neji and Sakura took a seat on a nearby bench and watched the eight year old repeat the task, each time a little higher...a little faster. Neji would comment now and again about Kana's footing or her lack of balance, but all Sakura could do was the occasional nod... maybe a soft-voiced acknowledgment.

The pinkette was trying hard to supervise her student, but with every passing moment her mind kept reminding the poor girl just how close she was to Neji. She could feel his body heat radiate onto her arms and it sent tingles all over her body. Instinctively, she pressed her thighs harder together while trying to ignore the slow throb that was building inside her. Every word Neji said to her would send a wave of shivers that turned Sakura's brains to mush. The stress was so great that even her teeth started to grind together. His voice was like silky dark chocolate that she was desperate to avoid. If only he would stop talking.

'The more you resist chocolate, the more you want it.'

"No, I don't," Sakura's outburst made Neji turn to her with a questioning look.

"You don't think Kana-chan could benefit from a balance beam?"

Sakura sputtered for a moment, "Uh um, I mean, no problem. I don't think it'll be a problem installing one." She smiled nervously, hoping the dark-haired young man would not notice the sweat on her brow.

Neji frowned as he scrutinized the girl sitting next to him, "Are you alright? You seem a little flushed." He leaned in to get a closer look, causing her blush to grow.

"Yes. You are most definitely red." Neji had yet to lay a finger on Sakura. There was no need. His breath was brushing on her cheek and neck, making every nerve scream her lust.

'Whatever you do,' her inner voice commanded, 'Don't turn your head.' Stubborn as always, she turned her head to find herself nose to nose with her secret obsession.

He blinked...

She blinked...

'What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?', ran through both their minds.

Right then a small cry broke their staring contest, "Arrgh! I think I twisted my ankle!"

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"Before long we got married and I became pregnant with Kana-chan. Then when my husband died about nine years ago, I thought it best to stay in my village for the baby's sake". That was partially true, but Mitsu knew her file was deemed "Top Secret" and revealing too much out in the open would put Kana-chan at risk. She omitted quite a bit really. If she had started to say too much, the Hokage would have interrupted.

Anko took a sip from her cup, "Wow! A WIDOW at that age! I was wondering about the wedding band."

"Yeah well, I didn't used to wear it so openly, but I put it on lately to keep the marriage proposals at bay. My grandmother said she had to keep turning down arranged marriage proposals every year. She was kinda relieved I moved to Konoha. No more rocks thrown at her window. Mind you, seeing my irritated grandma at three in the morning is enough to scare any suitor away!"

Mitsu then frowned, "But for some reason, a wedding band doesn't seem to turn off some of these leaf-nin. That Kakashi certainly didn't give up when he assumed I might have a husband."

Kotetsu gestured 'For Shame' at Kakashi, who shrugged nonchalantly, "Hey, I guessed right."

"Hah, Kakashi has that reputation as Konoha's Ladies Man" sighed Kurenai, "There's even a rumor that he's supposed to be a 'Sex God' of some sort."

Anko sneered knowingly, "Yeah, well, I'm here to tell you that that rumor is absolutely one hundred percent TRUE!" She shot a fist in the air as water went flying around her. His comrades dog eyed the Copy-nin. Kakashi triumphantly raised his hands behind his head and leaned back, feeling quite smug.

"Hmph," Kurenai sneered, "You would know, wouldn't you...and weren't you with Genma last month?"

"Heh, heh, yeah," Anko had on her face a silly grin and far away look in her eyes, "The man definitely has talents...heh heh."

Genma had a great big grin on his face when his comrades looked at him with blank faces. He balanced his senbon on it's end at the tip of his tongue before flicking it in the air and catching it with his teeth again.

"Gotta keep practicing, you know," he mumbled

"So who's Genma again," Mitsu scratched her head. The brown-haired ninja's shoulders slumped.

"He's the guy with brown hair, wears his forehead protector backwards, and has a senbon in his mouth."

"Oh yeah! Kinda cute...," mused Mitsu. Genma twirled his senbon happily.

"But he disappeared on me. He can't be all that good in bed, if he's here one second and gone the next." Anko let loose a huge guffaw, knowing said ninja was fuming in his pool.

A stunned Genma turned to see his comrades snickering into their sake, "Izumo, I'm gonna kill you."

"So Mitsu," needled Anko as she leaned closer to her new friend, "How long has it been since you've been on the dating scene? It's a little strange for a girl looking for love to wear a wedding ring and run away from a sex god."

Mitsu turned red from embarrassment as she could feel ears open up, "A little personal don'cha think," she said trying to avoid the question.

"Whoa," breathed Anko who easily guessed how long, "You mean to tell me, while having suitors outside your window for years, you've had NO SEX for almost NINE YEARS! No wonder you're so SKITTISH!"

"Anko, SHHH," Mitsu splashed water into the woman's face, "The last thing I need is for any guys over there thinking I'm an easy lay!"

"I wonder who would think that," muttered Izumo while shooting Genma a dirty look.

"Hey," Genma whispered in his defense, "If you heard, what I heard at the store, you would think the same thing too."

"I did hear. I was there. I had to get you away from her before you pounced."

With a serious attitude, Anko stood up and lifted a fist high, "Mitsu, I am making it my personal mission to get you out of the hell that is abstinence and start dating again!"

Mitsu stared up at Anko in horror, "You are?"

"You are in desperate need of love and you are going with us to Ladies' Night at our bar!"

"I am?" squeaked Mitsu.

"And Kurenai and I will help you in your quest for love!"

Mitsu turned to Kurenai with a frightened look in her eyes, "You will?" She was about to plead for mercy when Kurenai whispered in Mitsu's ear.

"You can't stop her now. She's announced it to the world."

Then Mitsu remembered that the Hokage and whoever was behind that fence heard every... word ...Anko ...said, "Oh fucking hell! This is just god damn fu...", her continued cursing was impeded by water bubbles as she sank to the bottom of the pool.

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Leaving Neji behind on the stone bench, Sakura ran to Kana's side and checked the girl's ankle. Neji suddenly felt the Byakugans of his uncle and the guards turn on the three of them. They probably wanted to ensure Kana's safety, but he knew Hiashi was also carefully evaluating Sakura.

"Yup," she focused her healing chakra on the ankle, "It's twisted, but don't worry. It'll only take a minute to fix."

Neji felt a stab of pride while he watched Sakura heal her student. It was obvious how beautiful she was, but her medic skills were phenomenal. Her self-discipline and determination were something Neji could identify with. She could bring honor and prestige to any clan she would marry into. Yes, she would make a fine addition to the Hyuuga household.

Sakura finished healing Kana's ankle and gave the eight year old a pat on the head, "Alright, why don't you try again."

'So patient,' mused Neji, 'So dignified...So modest.' Just then a stiff breeze blew into the garden and around Sakura. Sakura was so relieved to see Kana hopping around again, she forgot to 'Bend At The Knees' when standing back up.

'Hm,' she thought, 'Breezy today.'

"Holy shit!" Neji's voice went ringing out, as he went flying back from his nosebleed, fell off the bench, and hit the back of his head on a nearby rock.

"Uuuuuuugh," Neji regained consciousness just as Sakura and Kana arrived by his side. It took a moment to stop his head from spinning, but by then his ninja senses were telling him more Byakugans had activated on the other side of the garden wall. There was no way to live down the embarrassment the supposed Jounin prodigy was experiencing in front of both the main and lower branches.

"Neji," cried Sakura, "Are you alright? You're bleeding!" She stretched out her hand to heal him, but was surprised to feel his hand slap her away.

Neji's eyes burned with cold fury, "What do you think you're doing woman? Are you trying to kill me? Do you hate me that much?"

Sakura's jaw dropped in shock, "What are you talking about?." She leaned over to find a little bit of blood on the rock Neji's head had hit.

"Look, you hit your head. Stop being stupid and let me heal you." She refocused her chakra and tried to press her hands to Neji's head. Neji scrambled backwards before she would get anywhere close to him.

"Stay away from me! You'll just make my life a living hell!"

Stunned that Neji actually lost his cool, Sakura put a hand on one hip, "Now you're just being paranoid. Hold still already!"

"I will not let a two-bit floozy play first aid on me." With a huff, he pulled himself up and started to dust off his pants. Kana covered her mouth in shock that the man dared to insult her sensei in public. She looked over to Sakura who was about ready to blow herself.

'I don't care how sexy he is, no one dares to insult me without getting flattened to a pulp.'

Sakura narrowed her eyes a the conceited pain-in-the-ass named Hyuuga Neji, "Floozy! Since when did you become elitist, you stuffed up blue blood!"

"Since I noticed one Hokage brown-nosing nerd hanging around here," He brushed his nose meaningfully.

"How dare you, you asexual block of ice!" Sakura's fists were circling high in the air. Kana was pretty sure that even the Aburame clan were listening in now.

"That's rich coming from a girl who constantly wears a red shirt with white circles! Wow, look it's a walking bullseye!" Neji then mimicked Sakura's circling fists.

"Why you fish-eyed pompous ass!" Sakura grabbed the front of his shirt and shook it as best as she could without chakra.

Pushing her away, he stuck his finger in her face, "I should have expected such rude behavior from a rabid Sasuke fan girl with less personality than a soy bean!'

Kana nervously looked back and forth between her neighbor and her sensei. A couple of times she held up a hand trying to interrupt, but the heated insults continued to fly. So she simply shrugged and went inside to the kitchen. As the popcorn cooked in the microwave, Kana searched the fridge for some soda. Pulling a six pack out, she casually looked outside the window. Neji was calling the pinkette a bird brain and waving his arms around like a bird. Sakura was giving Neji The Bird with both hands and telling the jerk to spin on it.

Beep, beep, beep. Kana shook out the popcorn into a big bowl and balanced it on her arm. Carrying the snacks outside, Kana walked around the arguing couple and made herself comfortable on a patch of grass.

"You have all the creativity of a brain-dead skunk!" She pointed to his usual attire of a white top and black slacks. If she was going to bring up the subject of clothing, Neji was not going to resist. Both clans watching, be damned. He was going to let her have it.

He stood toe to toe with Sakura and looked her in the eye, "At least, I don't go walking around in public half-naked."

"What are you talking about? You did that just this morning!"

Neji leaned in closer and hissed, "Not that half." Sobering her temper for a moment, Sakura thought back to earlier when she had finished healing Kana.

_'Hm,' she thought, 'Breezy today.'_

Frozen in humiliation, Sakura turned several shades of pink and red, as Neji crossed his arms in triumph.

"That's right, **Pinky**," sneered the young man flaunting his knowledge that the rug indeed matched the drapes.

"Hyuuga, you total pervert!" She infused her fists with killer chakra and started swinging. Neji easily dodged her flying fists of fury while still taunting Sakura.

"Since when am I the perv? I was merely minding my own business. You, on the other hand, can't seem to keep your panties on. Bet you left them at _Kiba's_!" Sakura's roar rang throughout all of Konoha.

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After Mitsu ran out of air and re-surfaced, Kurenai held a cup of sake ready for the poor woman. Mitsu felt the alcohol scorch its way down her throat, while she listened to all the hair-brained schemes Anko was coming up with.

"Oooh ohhh, We can do some karaoke. Have you sing a sexy song. Turn you into a seductive temptress with a few of my outfits..." Kurenai watched Mitsu start taking bigger gulps of her sake.

"Don't worry too much, Mitsu," whispered Kurenai, "We can tone her down in the next few days, but you might get stuck with the karaoke." She chuckled to see Mitsu groan painfully.

"You know," said Anko putting Mitsu's mental terrors on hold, "You've barely hit the tip of the iceberg of Konoha' single men." Anko started counting on her fingers. So far you've only met Gai, Kakashi, Genma..."

"Izumo-kun," mused Mitsu as the sake began to make her head tingle. A cricket chirping in the distance could be heard throughout the entire bathhouse. Anko and Kurenai's eyebrows were shot up so high they practically disappeared.

"Izumo-...kuuun," they said in unison while scooting in closer on either side of the red-faced Mitsu.

'Damn sake,' Mitsu cursed inwardly.

"Well, it's only fair since he called me Mitsu-chan."

"Bless you subconscious," murmured Izumo as Kakashi and Genma jealously glared at him.

Kurenai started refilling Mitsu's sake, "Looks like there's more to this story."

"Someone's been holding out on us," sang a grinning Anko.

"Ugh, It's nothing big," Mitsu sighed exasperated at the interrogation, "He was assigned to escort Kana-chan and me to our new home the other night. When I passed out, he took me to the hospital. Nothing interesting there."

"Why'd you pass out?"

"Fatigue!" Despite her too quick of an answer, the others shrugged. Then they continued to poke Mitsu in the shoulders.

"Go on. Go on," grinned Kurenai.

"The next day Sakura took Kana-chan on a tour and Izumo escorted me home. He finished his assignment. I don't see how that's interesting. Well, he did take the time to introduce me to my neighbors... _then_ he took me home." Mitsu smiled warmly at the memory of Izumo leading her through the beautiful garden with his hand wrapped around hers.

"That smile says he did more then take you home. Stay a while, did he?"

Mitsu gasped, "He was a complete gentleman!" Then she thought back to when he rushed to see her on the new bed.

"He laughed when I rolled around on my bed," she still had that faraway smile on her face when she noticed her friends faces.

"Fully clothed!"

Anko shrugged before taking another sip of sake, "That doesn't necessarily, means you two weren't-"

"Oh, would you get your mind out of the gutter, woman!"

"Hee, hee, you're too easy to tease, Mitsu-_chan_. Go on this is too good for nothing interesting."

"Argh! All we did was look at the master bedroom and master bath. Ahh!" Mitsu raised a warning finger silencing Anko.

"Then I invited him to feel free to visit, whenever he was in the neighborhood. I also offered to bake him some cookies, but then he took off rather quickly. That's it! Finito! Nothing more to tell!"

Kotetsu had a knowing smirk on his face while Izumo tried to hide behind his cup of sake. Apparently, Anko was also grinning wildly.

Snickering, Anko raised her voice a tad more, "I know why Izumo-kun took off like a shot when you said cookies."

Kurenai and Mitsu leaned closer to the giggling woman.

"A while ago, I needed to deliver a message to Kotetsu. They're roommates, you know, and I accidentally came in the wrong window."

Kurenai sighed, "Yeah, right. Why don't you use doors like everybody else?"

"What and miss freaking people out? No way! Anyways, neither of them were home, but I did find some interesting pictures on his bed. Heh, heh, heh!"

"And that's why cleaning up your room once in a while is a good thing," whispered Kotetsu to his sinking teammate. Genma and Kakashi were working hard not to burst out laughing.

"Women in french maid aprons, women in waitress aprons, women in see-through plastic aprons! The list goes on and on. I even remember one girl in a lacy apron, holding a tray of kabocha cookies."

There was silence as eyes and ears focused on skittish Mitsu, waiting for her to flip out. Instead, the women were surprised to find a quiet Mitsu, clearly deep in thought.

"Such a serious face, Mitsu-chan," teased Kurenai, "What's going on in that head of yours."

With a slightly glazed look in her eyes, Mitsu turned to her cup of sake, "Oh, um it's nothing really. Just...thinking." Her head tilted as she became lost in another daydream. Kurenai and Anko winked at each other knowingly.

"Well, four nights from now is Ladies Night and that means less thinking and more drinking," said Anko gleefully, "We still have to figure out your outfit."

"I don't have much," confessed Mitsu, "We packed rather light. Kana and I were going to go shopping tomorrow."

Anko waved her hands nonchalantly, "Don't worry about that. I'll bring you an outfit."

Kurenai winced, "I don't think that would be a good idea, Anko." She motioned up and down Mitsu's body.

"She's kind of bigger than you."

Mitsu scowled at the woman, "Well, fuck you very much."

"No, no! I mean Anko's clothes tend to be a bit tight up top," she pointed to Anko's bosom, "Because of her smaller cup size."

Anko shouted in the brunette's ear, "In that case, Fuck you very much!"

"Sheeh, I'm not trying to be rude," growled Kurenai, "Look I'm smaller than Mitsu too, but not by much."

Both women took a moment to carefully examine their own bodies while sizing up an embarrassed Mitsu.

"Would you two stop comparing yourselves to me. I wasn't always this size. I've been through a pregnancy and nursing a hungry baby. For some reason my body wants to hang on to those last few pounds. They just happen to center on my hips and breasts."

"You're kidding," exclaimed Anko, "Damn lucky!"

"I might have a dress that could fit you," Kurenai sat back down and reached for her sake, "It depends though, what cup are you?"

"Hmmm, probably a 'D'." The four men listening in automatically licked their lips.

"Really, I thought Kurenai was a 'D' and I was a 'C'," complained Anko.

The older brunette sighed, "You rely on bindings too much, Anko. You look to me like a full 'B'." Kakashi and Genma nodded thoughtfully. Kurenai was probably right

"I do not use bindings that much. How else could I get that nice jiggle that gets the boys attention. My best weapon yet!"

"Hah, you do not jiggle. That takes something called breasts." Four sake cups on the quiet side of the fence were immediately refilled.

"Oh yeah, here I'll show you." The four men heard some splashing in the background.

"See," Anko proclaimed proudly. Kurenai burst out laughing before taking another sip of sake.

"Mitsu and I don't have to jump up and down like a baka to get a jiggle," she turned to Mitsu, who was shaking her head in disbelief .

"I'm sure the density of the breasts contribute more to your," Mitsu put up air quotes, " 'Jiggle', Anko, rather than cup size."

Anko pressed her chin down to get a better look at her chest, "You really think so? I bet my density is better than yours, Kurenai."

Kurenai narrowed her eyes, "I don't think so, Anko."

"Prove it!" Anko pulled on Kurenai's arm, bringing the woman to stand next to her. The men started to hear twice as much splashing.

"You tell us, Mitsu. Whose got the better 'Jiggle'." Four men spat sake out at the same time.

Watching this whole debacle unfold, Tsunade started to stand up to put her "Two Cents" in.

"You don't count," shouted Anko and Kurenai to a chagrined Tsunade. Mitsu giggled uncontrollably at the kunoichi antics.

"This is crazy! I absolutely refuse and you two should sit down."

"Screw that," Anko maneuvered behind Mitsu, pushed her friend up, and grabbed her shoulders, "Join us!"

"Y-y-you t-t-two are c-c-comp-p-pletely i-i-insa-a-ane!"

"Nooo," corrected Anko, "We're drunk!"

The giggles coming from across the fence were flying through the shinobi ears and headed straight below the waterline. Visions of a soaking wet and naked Mitsu jumping around in a pool with two other beautiful women were plaguing the four men like a vicious genjutsu. Kakashi's visible eye had glazed over and his mask started to show some drool. Genma's senbon had been bitten in two with both pieces floating in the water in front of him. Kotetsu was busy downing as much sake as possible and Izumo's hands were shaking wildly, while buried in his hair.

Tsunade, being closest to the fence, could feel all the lust pouring over the barrier. After grabbing her cup of sake, she leaned back to the pools edge, and stretched her free hand to push her chakra into the wooden fence.

Each man was doing his best to keep control and Izumo was the first to lose it, "I got to see what's behind that fence!" He ran into the changing room and came back with his kunai. He found the outline of a knothole and punctured the center. He tried to carve out a hole, but the tip came back bent and twisted at odd angles.

"What the hell?"

Genma sneered at Izumo and pulled himself out of the pool. He came back with a box full of senbon.

"Allow me," He sent chakra infused needles at the same knothole. The senbon went flying every which and way sending the shinobi ducking for cover.

"Well, that didn't work," growled Kotetsu.

"Hey Kotetsu, your spiked seashell," suggested Izumo, "Could you summon it?"

"Are you crazy?"

"Scaled down then. Just to open up a hole." Kotetsu was about to tell Izumo just what he thought about his baka friend when they all heard louder giggling.

"That's it Mitsu! Show Anko how it's done!!"

"Okay, but just this once." Kotetsu bit his thumb and pressed his hand to the floor. A smaller version of the club that destroyed a store earlier, appeared in his hand.

"Right," Kotetsu focused on the knothole that had thwarted the other two and gave a great swing. To his satisfaction, the sharpened tip made it through the center and out the other side. Everyone was thoroughly surprised to see the fence literally push the tip backwards and spit it out like a toothpick.

"Holy Hell...It's haunted," Kotetsu whimpered.

"Amateurs," rumbled Kakashi's voice, "Let me take care of this."

"Water Style: Vortex Jutsu!" A spiral rose out of the pool water and dove straight for the fence. The jutsu exploded as it drove it's head into the chakra-reinforced barrier.

"Uh oh," said Mitsu as she bent down to pick up her cup of sake, "It looks like it's raining."

Kurenai held a hand up to feel the water drops, "Nah, it's just drizzling. See it's over now."

Kakashi's eye widened in disbelief, "But that's impossible. There's just no way." He pulled himself out of the pool and made another rush of hand signs.

"Chidori," he growled as he ran for that stubborn knothole and pushed the ball of chakra into the wood. He grinned smugly as his arm passed through the fence, but was shocked beyond belief when a dainty hand came out of nowhere and clamped on his wrist.

Tsunade sent a small chakra burst into Kakashi's pressure point and effortlessly cut off the chakra feeding the chidori. One of the world's most powerful ninja weapons died with a pathetic chirp. Then the Hokage used her super strength to pull Kakashi's arm forward, bringing the Copy-nin's forehead crashing into the indestructible barricade.

"Wham!"

'Maybe another for good measure'.

"Wham!"

Tsunade let go when she felt Kakashi's arm go limp. Her voice floated through the chidori-made hole to the three still conscious and cowering shinobi, hiding up to their noses in the pool.

"You four, in my office ...as soon as he wakes up." Then she focused her chakra to regrow the knothole.

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Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba strolled down main street with Akamaru bouncing around them playfully. Shino calmly shifted to the left away from the dog's long tail while Kiba bent a tad backwards to avoid said bushy tail.

"Nice day out," said Kiba as he threw a stick for Akamaru. Shino nodded.

"I wonder what Hinata and Kurenai-sensei are doing on their day off?" Shino shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you going to carry on this conversation without silent body movements? Hey!" Having lost interest in Kiba's small talk some time ago, Shino had stopped walking was peering into a window shop. Kiba meandered to Shino and looked at the store sign.

"Yamanka Flower Shop," Kiba said aloud, "What? You gonna buy some flowers?" Shino merely ignored his teammate and kept staring inside the shop. He sighed when the object of his affection never appeared.

"Let's go," he murmured.

"Oh, it speaks," teased Kiba, "Who were you going to buy some flowers for? Is she cute? Can I meet her?" Kiba's mischievous grin was so big his canines gleamed in the sunlight.

Just then a stiff breeze brought a soft floral scent heading their way. Kiba and Akamaru sniffed the air at the same time, not noticing that Shino also raised his head in recognition.

"Smells like Ino's heading this way," he stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged. Then he felt Shino grab his arm. He looked at his friend with a questioning glance.

"What's up, Shino?" Akamaru turned on his haunches as Shino led his master backwards.

"Wait."

"Wait? What do you mean wait?" Shino continued to drag Kiba to the street corner and pulled him to the wall.

"Just wait," Shino turned his head to Ino's direction and did a mental countdown.

'Three, two, one,' the Aburame quickly turned around and walked around the corner, right into a rushing Ino. When her body slammed into his, her intoxicating scent filled his nose and he could feel the soft swell of her breasts against him. Kami, that could be addictive!

"Ooof!" Shino quickly grabbed Ino before she could fall on the ground. Startled to find herself in the arms of her infatuation, Ino blushed from head to toe.

"Hello Shino-kun," she whispered weakly, "Sorry for bumping into you. You caught me in time. Um... Arigato. "

"No problem, Ino-chan." Shino found himself lost in her baby blues again.

Neither one wanted to be the first to let go. It felt so comfortable, so right. Kiba, on the other hand, was getting a raging headache from all the pheromones these two were giving off.

"Ah, hiya Ino," the dog-nin smiled through his teeth, "Fancy seeing you here."

"Hey Kiba," said Ino without sparing him a glance, "Hello Shino-kun."

Kiba sighed, "You already said that Ino."

"Did I?" Kiba rolled his eyes and gave Shino a nudge.

He whispered behind Shino, "If you're gonna kiss her, do it now." Shino pulled his hands off Ino like she was a hot potato.

Ino's heart dropped as Shino's arms fell away from her. Did she do something wrong? Does her breath stink? Kiba and Shino could clearly see the hurt in her eyes, but she stiffened up and gave them a dazzling smile. She had always been good at bouncing back.

"So Shino, did you get the invite to the Summer Garden Party? I hear the Hyuugas are going all out, even reserving a large portion of the city park." Shino gave her a curt nod.

"This is the first year my parents are going to let me tag along. I'm even buying a new kimono for it." She raised her eyebrows expectantly while biting her lip, hoping her love would get the gentle hint.

"That's nice," he mumbled. Okay, gentle hint was not going to do it and if there was anything Ino could do, it was beat the idea into a boy's head.

"So I was thinking it would be nice to go without hanging on my mother's apron strings. You know, like on a _date_. A date to the Summer Garden Party would be a lot of fun." Ino held her breath and crossed her fingers for luck.

Beads of sweat started to form on Shino's forehead as he looked desperately for a way out, "Um... yes, Ino-chan. That would be fun for you and your date. Well, Kiba and I have to go. We...uh...need to find Kurenai-sensei. Good bye!" He started shoving Kiba forward toward the street. Depressed, Ino watched the two of them leave with Akamaru whining his pity for her.

Kiba growled at his friend, "You're just running hot and cold, aren't you! You did get the hint she was hitting over your head, right?"

Shino sighed, "Yes, I did. But if I asked her to the party, my dad would find out."

"So," sneered Kiba, "What's it to your dad who you date. It's not like you're eloping or anything."

"It might as well be," moaned Shino, "The last time a girl showed interest in me, she ended up running away."

Kiba laughed, "Well, if she didn't know about the bugs, I can see that!"

Shino shook his head, "No...she knew about the beetles. She just didn't realize there's expectations to dating a future Aburame leader. You see, my dad took her aside and gave her...'The Talk'. She didn't stop to say goodbye. Never even showed up for our first date. I don't know if she moved or just avoiding me, but I haven't see hide nor hair of the girl for over a year."

Sympathizing, Kiba looked over at his slumping friend, "Wow, man. That really sucks."

Shino whispered sadly, "I don't think if I could handle Ino running away from me. I just want to enjoy what we have right now. When my dad gets wind of Ino and me, it'll be the end. I just know it."

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When the four men arrived at the Hokage Tower, they found Might Gai surrounded by ANBU and a couple bags in his arms full of jewelry, clothes, and flowers. They waited another hour before Tsunade came strolling in, looking quite refreshed and ready to kick a shit load of trouble their way.

After dismissing the ANBU, the Hokage looked over the list in her hand. She quickly scribbled another entry at the top of the grievances. For every passing moment, the five men in front of her grew more and more tense. She cleared her throat and read aloud the results of their courting efforts.

"Custom tile flooring for the Konoha Bathhouse." Tsking, Gai wagged a finger at the red faced Kakashi.

"New paint for the Hokage Tower." Kotetsu's bandage over his nose scrunched up to his eyes as he remembered the explosion.

"Reparations for a fully furnished apartment." Gai glared daggers at a sighing Kakashi. That apartment was empty, but far be it for Konoha citizens not to fleece the powers that be whenever possible.

"New windows and doors for the Ninja Supply Store." Genma twisted slightly and gave Izumo The Bird from behind his back.

"Several boxes of kunai, senbon, and chakra-drain ropes." Izumo secretly summoned two small puddles of his Syrup Field right under Genma's shoes.

"_Construction Cleaning Crew_!" Five heads dropped together in shame.

"Eyebrow regrowth for Umina Iruka that I had to handle personally." Four heads slowly turned to stare at Kakashi.

"What? I was aiming for Gai's eyebrows. I thought they could use a trim!" Gai made a loud growl, as he held himself back from attacking the Copy-nin in front of the Hokage.

"Uh...Huh," Tsunade was astonished the lengths these boneheads were willing to go. Sheesh, if Orochimaru wanted to destroy Konoha all he had to do was send in a few Mitsu clones. Save him all the trouble of tricking Sand.

"You all will be docked three weeks pay and assigned one "D" rank mission, apiece." The ninja were shocked for a moment. That was way too light for what they were expecting, but why look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"You're dismissed. Except you, Izumo. You stay," Tsunade gave the Chuunin a penetrating stare while the others filed out the door. That is, except Genma, who had some difficulty moving his feet.

"I said you're dismissed, Genma." Izumo and Kotetsu were trying to hide their smirks as they watched Genma realize what happened. The Jounin shot them a dirty look as he pushed some chakra into his feet and shuffled out the door.

Once Tsunade had Izumo alone, she calmly stood up from her chair, picked up a random file, and started whacking Izumo over the head.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" The poor guy readjusted his forehead protector as the Hokage continued to bop him on the head.

"This is what I get for giving you a head start! A wrecked supply store and a destroyed building!" Izumo backed away from Tsunade while trying to dodge the deadly file.

"With all due respect Hokage-sama...What are you talking about? What head start?"

The Hokage sighed while shaking her head, "Are all men this dense? I've got good money riding on you, boy. When I assigned you to take her home safely, you were supposed to ask Mitsu out on a date. You know, take her out to dinner. Take her out to a movie. Take her on a walk through the park... not take out any other male that looks twice at her."

Izumo's eyes widened in understanding at what Tsunade had been trying to tell him, "You want me to date her?"

"Arggh! Kamizuki Izumo, get out there and woo you're ass off!" She continued to yell at the stunned shinobi while swinging her fist at him, before he got the point and fled. "AND DONT DESTROY ANY MORE OF MY VILLAGE," she hollered as he took off down the hallway.

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Mitsu made her way home while sipping on a mochaccino-to-go. Damn, if those new friends of hers get her that tipsy in less than a couple hours, Ladies Night might get a bit out of hand.

'Note to self, ask for virgin drinks. These two are better at this than I am.' Not really expecting to see anything, Mitsu opened up the mailbox and peeked in. Astonished, she pulled out a fancy gold engraved letter sitting inside.

"What in the world?" She carefully pulled up the flap. It was still damp, meaning it could not have been sealed a few minutes before it was deposited. Inside was a party invitation for an Annual Summer Garden Party in the Konohakagure Park, hosted by the Hyuuga clan. The invitation said the party would be the day after tomorrow and suggested formal dress.

"Great! Now we have to buy new kimonos too," grumbled Mitsu, "I hope Kana-chan can handle a long shopping trip."

There was another little card and envelope for RSVP. Mitsu was not sure if it would arrive in time if she sent it by snail mail. It would mean handing it in herself. They did live right next door. Mitsu shuddered at the thought of facing those cold-hearted guards once again.

She headed for the kitchen and threw the invitation on the table. Imagine her surprise to look outside the window and find her daughter's sensei attempting to kick the shit out of a young man who looked like a dreaded Hyuuga. Mitsu gasped to see a stone bench split in half from Sakura's missed hit. The young Hyuuga sneered at Sakura sending the pinkette into killer frenzy.

Stepping over smashed lanterns and ruined plants, Mitsu wandered outside to find Kana sitting nearby, opening a can of soda.

"What the hell is going on here," Mitsu walked up to her daughter.

Kana shrugged her shoulder and simply held up a big bowl to her mom, "Popcorn?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

From a safe corner, Mitsu and Kana watched their backyard torn apart with every missing blast from Sakura's hands. Inside of Mitsu's head, she was trying to figure out how to tell the Hokage that the beautiful home given to her care was crushed by two teenagers. Kana, on the other hand, was excitedly watching her sensei and neighbor spar, completely enthralled with all the cool moves displayed in front of her.

"Oooh," whispered Kana as Neji smoothly avoided a kick to the kneecaps, "I gotta remember that move." She looked up at her mother, who had her hands buried in her burgundy hair. Then the eight year old noticed someone make their way to her distraught mom. The man looked a lot like Neji-san, except much older and a nasty frown on his face. Mitsu woke from her panicking, when the man walked past her and entered the danger zone without hesitation.

"ENOUGH!"

Hiashi's voice encompassed all three properties and the two fighters froze in mid-strike. He furiously stared down Neji until the boy turned his head in shame. Then he sent a harsh glare to Sakura, who gasped in fear.

"Needless to say, that the Hokage will be notified of the complete disrespect shown here, Haruno-san." He turned over to where Mitsu and Kana stood in total awe of the handsome stranger. Mitsu looked this pearl-eyed man over. His presence was authoritative and striking, certainly someone not to be trifled with.

"My apologies for the trouble my nephew caused. I regret meeting under these circumstances, but the situation was getting out of hand. Rest assured that Neji will be delt with." Hiashi's tone brought chills to Sakura. The pinkette was feeling incredibly guilty for letting her temper get the best of her and now Neji will suffer for it.

Mitsu bowed respectfully to Hiashi, "I am Mitsu and this is Kana. Arigato for interceding, but please don't be so hard on them. We all were young and hot headed at some time." Hiashi scoffed at the idea of a Hyuuga being hot headed at any age.

"If you so wish it, Mitsu-san. I am Hyuuga Hiashi, head of the Hyuuga Household. We will replace all that was broken. Have a good evening." he nodded respectfully before gesturing for Neji to follow. Mitsu watched the two make their way out. She unconsciously held her breath when Hiashi turned around for a moment.

"Mitsu-san, did you receive the invitation for the Summer Garden party?" She paused for a moment, forcing her brain to start up again.

"Hai, Hyuuga-sama. We did and we would be honored to attend," she smiled sweetly while ignoring the tugging on her blouse by her confused daughter.

"What garden party," whispered Kana.

"I'll tell you later," Mitsu whispered without moving her lips.

Hiashi nodded again, "Very well. There is no need to send a written reply then. Good evening." As if spellbound, Mitsu's eyes followed Hiashi as he disappeared around the corner. Mitsu did not know why, but her senses were flying off in different directions and she was unknowingly biting her lower lip.

Sakura walked up to Mitsu and bowed low, "Gomen, Mitsu-san. I let my temper get away with me and your beautiful garden is ruined. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" Unfortunately, Mitsu was still deep in her own thoughts during Sakura's heartfelt apology.

"Huh? Oh! Right! I see, Sakura. Well, the Hyuugas have already offered to replace the yard, so I don't think that would be necessary." Out of the depths of Mitsu's memories came the looming reminder of Ladies' Night in a few days.

"Actually, Sakura. You could help me out. I was invited by Yuuhi Kurenai and Mitarashi Anko to Ladies' Night at their favorite bar. I was wondering if you could babysit Kana-chan?"

Sakura waved her hands, "Oh don't worry. I'll take care of Kana-chan that night. Just call when you're ready."

"Also," Mitsu smiled while raising her hand to her trashed yard, "It would be nice to know what started this little tiff."

Completely red-faced, Sakura sighed in defeat, "I'll tell you, but we have to go inside. I'd rather not have any more people knowing about this." As soon as they were all seated at the kitchen table, Sakura tried in the most diplomatic way to explain the tantrum they witnessed.

At the end, Kana could not help, but grin from ear to ear, "Sakura-sensei likes Neji-san! Sakura-sensei likes Neji-san!"

"Now, Kana-chan. That's not nice," Mitsu patted Kana's head, "Sakura's just been humiliated in front of her heart's desire and all of her future in-laws. Of course that's if Neji-san decides that he doesn't mind getting his face pounded in every once in a while." The older woman chuckled as Sakura slid down further in her chair.

"Come on Sakura. It's not that bad. Just go apologize tomorrow and try to keep the friendship going. There's still a chance." Mitsu gave the pinkette a pat on the back and a hug.

"Why don't you head on out now. You can borrow a yukata."

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It was a warm and lazy afternoon. Mitsu sat on the grass in the front courtyard of her home and enjoyed watching the gentle wind play with the nearby fauna. The soft sunlight danced along the tree leaves, giving a mottled shadow show. Bored, she reached out to the filtered sunbeams. As her hand stretched out to play, another hand came from behind her and grasped it. The strange hand was definitely strong and male. It engulfed her own tiny hand as the stranger's fingers intertwined with hers. Not daring to turn around, Mitsu let the stranger do as he pleased. She felt her hand guided to a soft pair of lips that warmed the skin they touched. The warmth continued to grow as more kisses were gently placed on each of her fingertips and along her arm. When the stranger's lips reached her shoulder, Mitsu could not help, but lean her head to the side, allowing greater access to her neck. Her breath hitched as she felt the kisses turn stronger on her pulse points. Mitsu could feel her heartbeat race faster as his lips lingered on her sensitive skin. The stranger behind her was driving her insane. She had to see him... To kiss him with as much passion as he was inflicting on her.

Mitsu turned to look at her hiding lover, but was disappointed to see his other hand moving to cover her eyes. The frustration faded when his lips leaned into hers, kissing her gently. Mitsu felt his fingers leave hers, trail their way down her arm and lightly trace her curves through her dress. Their kissing became more heated as his wandering hand started bunching her skirt higher until he found the hem. Mitsu gasped when she felt his hand press up her thigh and slip past her underwear. The stranger took advantage of her open mouth to dip his tongue deep into its sweet depths. Mitsu's senses were so overwhelmed she could not hold back any of her mewls. Her voice only fueled his own desire, causing deep moans to rumble from his throat. She started to pant as the tension between her legs steadily grew. Feeling her so close, her lover's reach moved deeper and deeper. There was no stopping it now. Her impeding release was just about to send her screaming in her lover's kiss.

"Mom!" Running footsteps could be heard coming down the road and toward the front gate. Gasping for air, Mitsu shot up from the stranger's embrace. Kana was coming home. Mitsu spun around on her mystery lover, only to find empty air.

"Mom!" Mitsu hurriedly pulled her dress down and did her best to straighten herself up. She was hoping there were no bruises showing as her hands dabbed at the still tingling skin on her neck.

"Mooom!"

Mitsu darted straight up from her sweaty covers and felt a huge headache crash into her skull, "Huh! Wha-what? Who-zat?" Kana was standing next to her mother's bed and had finished shouting right in her parent's ear.

"Mom! It's time for school! You know, first school day and I don't know how to get there." Mitsu gave her eyes a moment to focus as the haze before her turned into Kana.

"Oh right, give me a few minutes to get dressed. I'll be ready to go with you then." Kana sighed at her mother and turned to stomp off to the kitchen.

The little girl stopped at the bedroom door and turned around with a smirk, "By the way, that must've been some dream you were having."

Mitsu turned bright red as she untangled her legs from the covers, "What do you mean? What dream?"

"Well," Kana rolled her eyes up as if thinking, "There was certainly a lot of moaning coming from under the covers. I was wondering if you were dreaming about Izumo-kun." Then she made kissy noises at her mom like Sakura did to Ino.

"Uchiha Kana!" Kana broke out into giggles and ran to the kitchen as a flurry of pillows headed her way.

Mitsu grumbled the entire time it took to get dressed. That dream had been bothering her the whole time and was persecuting her right now. She has had those kind of dreams before, but they were with her husband Keitaro. In those bittersweet dreams, he was always looking in her eyes and she was crying in his arms. This dream was different in that it held the promise of a new life, a new love. Not to mention how frustrating that her mystery lover could be any of the interesting men she had met... Including a certain Hyuuga clan leader.

"Damn it, I've never paid attention to stupid alpha males before!" Never in these past years had such thoughts permeated so deeply into her subconscious. What is it with this village and their matchmaking. Now their schemes are sinking into her dreams and she really did not need that.

Mitsu yawned as Kana and her walked out their front gate. As they drew close to the Hyuuga gates, Mitsu carefully observed the guards. This time when they gave her threatening gazes, she smiled gently in return. It was very satisfying to see their faces change to surprise.

'Hah,' Mitsu inwardly smirked, 'Called your bluff!'

Before they strode past the Hyuuga compound, another girl walked past the stunned guards and started on her way to school. She carried herself proudly as any Hyuuga would do. Kana immediately stopped and observed the white-eyed girl. The other girl looked to be a year or two older than Kana, but obviously was heading to the Konoha Ninja Academy.

"Good morning," Kana smiled brightly at the girl, "It looks like we're neighbors. I'm Kana. What's your name?" The other girl stared at Kana for a moment then gave her a reluctant answer.

"Hyuuga Hanabi." Hanabi continued along the road with Kana trying to tag along. Mitsu secretly smiled as she slowed down to give the two girls some space.

"Are you going to the Academy too?" Kana walked backwards as she gave Hanabi the third degree. Slightly annoyed, Hanabi nodded.

Kana grinned from ear to ear, "Today's my first day. What year are you?"

"Third." Hanabi had a somewhat relieved tone in her voice. At least the new girl will pester someone else when they get to the Academy.

Kana frowned, "Ah. Well, we'll still get to see each other before and after every school day!"

"I have training."

After turning around, Kana shrugged nonchalantly, "Yeah, so do I. That doesn't mean we can't say 'Hi' on the way." Hanabi had to admit the other girl had a point.

"Do you like your teacher?" Kana watched Hanabi give the question some serious thought.

"Iruka-sensei is competent."

"That's good. It'll be nice not to have a sensei that doesn't crash into your legs or flash your next-door neighbor's nephew." Hanabi's face broke into a smirk.

"Ahhh," smiled Kana, "So you did see it! I was wondering if all the Hyuugas could do that."

Hanabi shrugged, "Pretty much. The Hyuuga clan is one of the most powerful families in Konoha."

"So sure of yourself, huh?" Kana sneered at her new friend.

"Yes," Hanabi replied curtly, "It's actually written down in the Konoha nin-history books." Just then Kana noticed a sectioned off street with run-down gates.

"What's over there," she pointed down the deserted street where dust and ruins sat unattended.

Hanabi turned to where Kana was looking, "That is the Uchiha district. No one goes in there anymore." Uneasy, Kana turned to where her mother was frozen. Mitsu had recognized the Uchiha fan on the walls and signs beyond the gate. The woman had never set foot in the Uchiha neighborhood, but it still felt like she was staring at ghosts. Keitaro had told her so much about his family and she could practically see figures of Uchihas milling around the vacant street.

"Mom," Kana's voice broke the visions holding Mitsu, "Mom. Is it alright if I go to the academy with Hanabi-chan?" Mitsu saw Hanabi visibly wince at her new nickname, but made no attempt to correct Kana.

"You could go do your shopping now," she looked at her mother meaningfully.

"Alright, Kana-chan," Mitsu smiled gratefully, "Arigato. And have a good day at school." Mitsu watched the two girls continued to the academy, with Kana still hounding Hanabi.

Mitsu walked along main street looking for a flower shop. Lucky for her, she eventually came across the Yamamaka Flower Shop. The door chime went off as she entered the establishment. The strong scent hit her like a wall of floral perfume.

"Wow! That's a lot of flowers," she joked as the young clerk turned around.

"Ino?"

"Mitsu-san," Ino smiled to her student's mother, "So nice to see you. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, I'm looking for a funeral bouquet if you don't mind." Ino was about to say something, but paused and decided against it.

"Of course, one moment." Mitsu wandered around the shop, occasionally sniffing a bloom to pass the time. Ino eventually returned with a handful of white chrysanthemums wrapped in purple tissue.

"Here you go, Mitsu-san." Mitsu took the bouquet in one hand and started to pull out her purse.

Ino waved in her hands, "Oh no, Mitsu-san. This one's free. Just be careful. The district may be deserted, but there are creeps in Konoha who'll skulk around anywhere."

"Arigato, Ino-chan. I'll be on my guard." She waved to the young blond before heading for the ghosts that were waiting for her.

Mitsu returned to the old gates and tentatively stepped inside. It had been a long nine years, but she finally made it. Mind you, she had originally envisioned walking side by side with Keitaro and being greeted by in-laws. The shop signs were in disrepair and the windows, broken and dusty. She slowly walked down the street, trying to picture how life would have been like being in the Uchiha clan. Would they have accepted her with open arms or torn Keitaro and the baby away as they saw fit? It was not like it mattered now. She started to see residences appear ahead.

'I hope there are name plates, maybe some clues to help me find the right house.' No such luck, only house numbers. She sighed and crossed her fingers, hoping no one caught her breaking in. Most of the homes were unlocked, even left wide open. Mitsu looked for photos and letters, helping her identify the previous owners. She came to one home that looked to still be in good shape. The door was closed, but it swung open with a noisy creek. There was a thin layer of dust, but much unlike the other houses. Time had only just started wearing this place down.

Mitsu held her breath as realization sunk in, "This was Sasuke's home." It was obvious that it had been abandoned for years, but she still felt like she was intruding. This place was the origination of so much pain and blood. Mitsu expected to feel anger, even hate, but was very surprised to find sadness and regret along with them. She took a chrysanthemum out and laid it inside the doorway. Just as she turned to leave, she ran into the black uniform of an ANBU standing right behind her.

"State your business," demanded the shinobi. Mitsu stepped back as she looked this ANBU over. He had the clothes, the tattoo, and the mask. His midnight black hair was slicked back and carefully tied down. His voice was awfully young though, probably still in his teens. Her village rarely promoted such youngsters to their ANBU, but apparently Konoha had no qualms about it.

"I'm merely here to pay my respects," she said still quite wary, "Do you happen to know where a Uchiha Keitaro used to live?" The ANBU shook his head.

"Um.. How about Uchiha Kisho and Sorano," hoping her in-laws' names would be more familiar. The ANBU glared at her through his mask. She could feel the distrust pouring from him.

'The feeling's mutual, sonny,' she thought while keeping eye contact with his masked eyes. She saw him turn and walk a little further down the street. He pointed towards a home only two doors down from Sasuke's.

"Be quick," he said before flickering out of sight. She did not bother to search the area for the ANBU. He was good at masking his chakra. Now that Mitsu knew he was there, she could just faintly sense his chakra from nearby. She was not promoted to Jounin for nothing.

She walked through the open door and looked around. There were signs of struggle in the living room, a knocked over chair and even a table split in two. A splatter of blood caught Mitsu's attention right away. It had stained a large portion of the floor. She stepped closer looking for any clues to whose blood was spilt there. Mitsu looked closer to find a faded hand print about the size of man's hand. She pressed her own hand against it, studying carefully. This must be it. The spot where Keitaro spent his last living moments. She could feel tears start to swell in her eyes, but she held them back. She came here for a reason and it needed to be done.

Mitsu opened up the purple tissue and gently placed the flowers on the dying hand print.

"Sorry it took me so long, Keitaro," she paused to check if the ANBU was still there. He was high above the house, listening. "Everything is fine and the Hokage is doing what she can." She stood in remembrance for a few more minutes, before leaving the flowers on the floor. As she carefully closed the front door, she could still feel the ANBU following her. He continued to follow her out of the Uchiha district. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the occasional dark blur hovering at the treeline. Instead of walking home or to the stores, Mitsu headed for the Hokage Tower. The steps of the tower came into view when she finally felt her shadow disappear.

She let out a sigh of relief, "I should ask the Hokage about this, the next time I see her."

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It was noon by the time Naruto walked up to the Aburame gates. He gave the guards a friendly wave.

"Hi, there! Shino sent a message for me to see him. Is he home? One of the guards nodded and sent a beetle to retrieve the young Aburame. Appearing out of nowhere, Shino stood outside the gates next to Naruto.

"Let's go," he started walking down the road, leaving a stunned Naruto to catch up.

"Hey, man! What's so important that you had Kiba knock down my door?" Shino held his head down, not daring to look Naruto in the eye.

"I need advice. I'll treat you to ramen."

Naruto's jaw dropped for a moment, "Wow, everyone's in need of my advice today! Hang on a minute, Shino. We need to make a quick stop." The blond shinobi pointed to the upcoming Hyuuga gates. They did not have to contend with the guards, because Neji was already there, leaning against the wall.

"About time," growled the pearl-eyed Jounin as he followed along side the other two. Neji gave Shino an acknowledging nod.

"You're not gonna believe this Neji, but Shino here needs advice too! He even offered ramen."

Neji shrugged, "At least I won't go into the hole like last time. I didn't even _get_ my advice."

Naruto frowned as he crossed his arms, "You never gave me a chance. In fact, you never gave me the problem. Took off like a shot."

"The problem was heading our way." retorted Neji.

Naruto scratched his head, "What are you talking about? Only Sakura and her student showed up after you left. No problem there."

Shino was not even there and he got it immediately, "He's talking about Sakura, baka." It took a few minutes for Naruto to process this information.

"You mean to tell me," Naruto grinned from ear to ear, "That the great Neji-sama has fallen for Sakura-chan? HAH!"

"Have we really scraped the bottom of the barrel for advice," mumbled Neji.

Shino shrugged, "It could be worse. We could ask Jiraiya." Soon they reached Ichiraku's Ramen Bar with Naruto happily hopping on a stool.

"It's a great day, old man. It's all-I-can-eat and these two generous fellows are paying for it."

"That desperate for advice, huh?"

"Awww, just make the ramen, old man!" Naruto turned to the guys next to him and pointed to Neji.

"Neji, since you never got your chance last time, you go first. What the hell happened that you need me to fix it?"

Neji went into his story about the Hokage Tower, the physical examination, and even Hiashi's demand for him to talk to Sakura. When he came to the part where Sakura felt the breeze between her knees, everyone froze in shock. Shino stopped in the middle of slurping up his ramen. Naruto just about fell out of his seat from coughing on his broth and Neji's head was lying on the bar, desperately trying live down the embarrassment.

"Hey! You accomplished what I had been trying to do for years," shouted Naruto, "So what happened?"

"What do you think happened," Neji pointed to his nose, "And right in front of Hiashi-sama and both branches."

"Ahhh," said both guys.

"I shouted at her for embarrassing me. Then she started shouting at me for being a pervert. We were so pissed. We were tearing up the backyard with our fight and Hiashi-sama had to break it up. I swear, I was one second away from having my cursed seal activated. If Kana-chan's mother hadn't been so forgiving, I'm sure it would have."

"Man, that is quite a problem, Neji," said Naruto as another bowl of ramen was set down in front the Kyuubi vessel, "I'm gonna have to chew on that one for a while."

Neji glared at Naruto, "Of course."

"Okay Shino. What's your problem?"

Shino started with the girl who he wanted to date last year and how his father gave her "The Talk". Then he went on about how surprised he was to find Yamanaka Ino lusting after him in the Aburame community garden. After that he could not believe how quickly he fell head over heels for Ino.

"Whoa," interrupted Naruto, "Ino... as in blond, loudmouth pain-in-the-ass."

"You know you just described yourself, Naruto," said Neji as he rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Ino," Naruto could feel Shino's eyes bearing down at him hatefully, "If you'll let me continue... She hinted at going on a date to the Annual Summer Garden party, but I ran off. I couldn't tell her why and now I can't hang around her without risking her bringing up that 'Date'."

"Wow, you got it bad too, Shino," Naruto finished chowing down on the fifth bowl of ramen.

"No shit, Sherlock," grumbled the young Aburame as he started tallying up what the bill might be.

"Okay guys. You're gonna have to give me a minute to think about all this." Neji and Shino stared at the blond shinobi as they imagined his brain cells firing off at the speed of a donkey.

"Why are we here again," growled Neji as he grew more impatient.

Shino crossed his arms, "It may have to do with him and Hinata being deliriously happy in love despite his stupidity and the Hyuuga main branch's objections to the courtship."

"Speaking of," piped up Naruto from his sixth bowl, "Why aren't you trying to kick my ass today, Neji?"

The Jounin grunted, "Because Hinata-sama knows how to activate the seal... Besides she seems happy. And the next time you upset her, it's going to be that much more fun!"

"Yeah right! I wiped the floor with you last time and I could do it again...wait a minute, wait a minute! I'm trying to solve your problems here! More ramen, please," Naruto waved to Ayame for another refill.

Neji winced as he pulled out his wallet, "Sure thing, Chouji."

"I got it," shouted Naruto, "Neji, you apologize! Shino, go on the date!"

"What the fuck," screamed both shinobi.

"Hang on, hang on. There's more," said Naruto trying to placate the advancing leaf-nin, "Sakura-chan loves dark chocolate, practically addicted to the stuff. Find some dark chocolate that screams, 'I'm sorry' and 'I love you despite your quick temper and scary strength'. And before you give them to her, I'm gonna have to kick your ass."

"What? Why?"

"One... Because I'm the only one who could do it and two... So you have an excuse to see Sakura at the hospital. Once you're there, you could tell her I called her a forehead freak and you were defending her honor." Neji blinked. It could work. Then Naruto turned to the bug master.

"Shino, you send a secret love note to Ino telling her to meet you at the garden party in a secluded spot where your father won't find you two. Make it all mysterious and tell her no one must know. Girls go wild for a secret affair!"

Shino and Neji stood in shock and awe.

"Hey, I may be slow, but I get there" grinned Naruto. Then the Kyuubi vessel casually lifted his hands on his head and peered at Neji.

"So Neji," he whispered, "Just curious, but... uh, is she... You know...naturally pink?"

Neji's eye erratically twitched in jealousy, "Arghh!" Quick as a flash, he hit a pressure point on Naruto's neck sending the ninja unconscious into his bowl of ramen.

"Baka," said Shino as they paid the bill.

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Mitsu walked out of one store with a huge bag full of a child's kimono set. She was quite proud of her find. The red kimono with pink brocade should look nice on Kana-chan. As she continued down the street, Mitsu saw a familiar senbon chewing Jounin trudging behind two giggling teenage girls. The frowning Genma had his arms full of bags and boxes with the girls adding an item or two at about every knick-knack stand. She smirked as Genma nearly lost his balance when he saw Mitsu nearby.

"Having fun," giggled Mitsu as Genma blushed furiously. The two teens turned on the older woman with upturned noses.

"Back off, lady!"

"Yeah, he's ours for the day!"

Mitsu did her best to hold back her grin while looking Genma in the eye, "Oh, so you have him for the whooole daaay, huh?" The Jounin's senbon sagged pitifully in his mouth.

"Well, don't let me hold you up, girls. He's all yours." Mitsu waved as she left the tittering girls to torture poor Genma.

Further down the street, Mitsu yelped in terror to see Freako Sr. heading her way. She ducked into a store and waited for the green-clad Jounin to pass by. She was quite surprised to see Gai was highly preoccupied with pushing a full twin baby carriage and balancing a toddler on his shoulders. There were two more kids in tow, with their hands over their ears as Gai tirelessly lectured them.

"Make him stop," shouted one boy.

"I can't," screamed the other, "He won't shut up about 'Springtime' and 'Youth'!"

"Hello, miss! Welcome, welcome," came a voice behind Mitsu, "Are you here to purchase a kimono?" She quickly turned around to see a little saleslady trotting up to her.

"Oh, um yes. Yes I am looking for a kimono," she smoothed out her clothes nervously, "For the Annual Summer Garden party coming up. I'm gonna need the whole set, even the getas." The lady clapped her hands happily.

"This way dear," the saleslady took Mitsu's hand noting her wedding ring, "I'm sure we'll find something appropriate and beautiful."

Then the lady turned around and hollered, "Kotetsu-san could you bring me the tape measure."

Mitsu titled her head trying to remember where she last heard that name. A light went off when she saw the spiky blue mess of hair and the bandage across his nose.

"Kotetsu-san! What are you doing here?" The Chuunin jumped to see a smiling Mitsu standing in the middle of the store floor.

"Hi Mitsu-san! Oh um, Sachiko-sama needed my help for the day," he lied.

"That's so sweet," Mitsu said as the saleslady trotted up to the Chuunin.

"And you can help me by giving me my tape measure," Sachiko snatched the item from Kotetsu's hand, "Now I need you to pull out some getas and tabis. Shoo, shoo!" The saleslady pushed the grimacing Kotetsu into the back room.

"Hmmm, the hair color definitely narrows your choices, doesn't it," Sachiko walked around her customer, "Not to mention those eyes."

Mitsu shrugged, "Yeah, I'm used to it... comes with the territory."

Sachiko sighed, "It's too bad you're married I might have had the perfect kimono, but it's more for an unmarried girl. Oh, well, let's go through the standard colors and work our way from there." Mitsu winced as she looked at the clock. She only had an hour to find a kimono before Kana-chan's school day ends.

"My grandmother always recommended navy blue for me," encouraged Mitsu.

Sachiko tapped her lips thoughtfully, "Maybe, maybe but that color can be so blah with a homongi. Not to mention this is the Hyuuga family's big shindig. Everyone wants to stand out and they do!" Standing out was the last thing Mitsu wanted. If Freako Sr. was going to be at the party, she wanted to blend in the background and fast.

"Blahs good, Sachiko-sama! I like blah!"

Sachiko shook her head, "I refuse to let such a lovely woman become a wallflower!" Then Mitsu was taken on a whirlwind of colors, patterns, and fabrics that made her head spin.

"No! No! No," Sachiko crossed her arms in fury, "None of these will do!

Mitsu glanced at her watch, "Um Sachiko-sama, I'm going to need to leave in about twenty minutes. My daughter's school will let out then."

Sachiko hopped up from her counter full of fabric, "Why don't you call your husband," she lifted up a phone receiver, "He could pick her up for you."

Mitsu fidgeted nervously, "Actually Sachiko-sama, I can't. I'm a widow." Sachiko looked the young woman up and down.

"How long," asked the saleslady abruptly.

"About nine years," Mitsu winced when she heard the other woman growl angrily.

"Honey," Sachiko wagged her finger at Mitsu, "You could have told me sooner. I have the perfect kimono for you all along." She darted to the back room, shouting at Kotestu to stop organizing socks and to climb up the tall shelves for a box.

After a few minutes, Kotetsu came out carrying a box with Sachiko at his heels. He sat the box on the counter top and helped Sachiko open it. Mitsu cautiously stood back, wondering what the saleslady was about to reveal. When the tissue was pulled away, Sachiko had a grin all over her face and Kotetsu started to blush. He glanced thoughtfully back at Mitsu before he quickly excused himself to the back room.

"This kimono is perfect for you Mitsu-chan," Sachiko pulled out the kimono that was deepest blood red a the bottom hem and faded to a crisp white collar. The diminutive bronze blossom brocade trailed along the sleeves, hem, and around the neckline.

"But Sachiko-sama, this is for an unmarried girl," Mitsu lightly traced the blossoms along the top of the kimono.

The saleslady raised her hands in frustration, "But you are unmarried! Besides someone as young as you should be looking for a new husband."

Mitsu shook her head vehemently, "No! I don't want people getting the wrong impression."

"There is nothing wrong with this impression. Come on, there's no harm in trying it on... just to see how it looks."

The young woman sighed in defeat, "I'll try it on if I can leave right after." Sachiko bubbled as she led Mitsu to the changing room. The older woman fussed and flittered around her customer as she straightened the kimono on Mitsu.

"See honey," sighed as she finished tyeing the gold obi, "This is perfect for you. I have been trying to sell this for such a long time. All the girls say there's not enough brocade, or that the blossoms are too small, or the color's all wrong. It's just been sitting on the highest shelf, just waiting for the right woman to wear it."

Mitsu stared at the mirror. It did look beautiful and she had not dressed like this since before marrying Keitaro. It was like turning back time. TIME! A grandfather clock from the back room chimed on the hour. She jumped as she looked at her watch. Kana's school had been out for a few minutes already.

"I have to go. Kana-chan must already be waiting."

Sachiko started undoing the obi from Mitsu's waist, "Tell you what, I'll have the kimono delivered to you for free and I'll give you the whole set for half off." Bells went off in Mitsu's head. Special sale prices were alway hard for her to ignore.

"But I don't think I have the guts to wear this out in public," whimpered Mitsu.

The saleslady growled at Mitsu again, "Honey if you don't buy this outfit, I will push you out in public, right now in the kimono, and enjoy watching you run from all the fan boys chasing you."

"You wouldn't dare!" Sachiko smirked at the panicking woman.

"Time's ticking. Don't want you're little girl to worry."

Mitsu shook her fists as she fumed, "This is why I hate shopping for kimonos!"

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Mitsu rushed to the academy with her shopping bags flying around her. Huffing and puffing, she arrived at the front door to where a few students were still hanging out. Looking across the way, she found Kana swinging in the playground with a familiar Chuunin pushing her.

"Higher Izumo-kun!" Kana squealed as Izumo pushed a little harder.

"Hey Mom! Look what I found today!" The handsome Chuunin gave Mitsu a wave.

Mitsu chuckled as she watched her daughter fly higher, "Yes, I can see that."

She then turned to Izumo, "Hello Izumo-kun." Izumo grinned as he felt his heart skip a beat. It was the first time she called him that in front of him.

"Thanks for staying with Kana-chan," she adjusted the bags to keep the twine from digging into her arms, "What brings you here by the way?"

Izumo scratched the back of his head, "Oh the academy needed an extra hand. So I'm here to help."

Kana took a flying leap off her swing and landed perfectly, "Is that why you were scraping gum from the desks and cleaning up that kid's puke?"

Mitsu smirked, "Really now?" She watched Izumo nervously look the other way.

She walked up and leaned closer to him, "So what did you do? Play a prank on the Hokage? Draw glasses on the Elders' portraits?"

Izumo looked at her abashed, "What makes you think I did something?"

Mitsu laughed, "Please, I know a 'D' rank mission punishment when I see one. I just saw three today. You didn't get into a bar-room brawl, did you?"

"Sort of," he guiltilly avoided her eyes as best he could.

"Hmmm, aren't you full of surprises," Mitsu gave him a wink, making him blush.

Curious about the shopping, Kana peered into the bags her mother was carrying, "What's all this, Mom?"

"Your kimono for the garden party," she lightly slapped Kana's hand from digging any further, "You can see it later."

Kana gave her mother a pout then happily turned to Izumo, "Are you going to be at the garden party too, Izumo-kun?"

He sighed, "Actually no. I'm going to be on guard duty that night." He silently cursed himself. If he had known someone like Mitsu was going to be at the party, he would not have signed himself up to avoid it.

Mitsu visibly slumped in disappointment, "Oh, that's too bad then."

'Aw man,' she grimaced inwardly, 'I went through hell to get a kimono and he's not even going to be there to see it!" Mitsu tried to perk up in front of Izumo and Kana.

"Well, then I'll just have to see you at Ladies' Night. Kurenai and Anko invited me to their favorite bar."

She turned around and started to lead Kana away before Izumo could dash her hopes again, "I'll see you then!"

Just as she and Kana reached the academy gate, a herd of swine came rushing down the street with a bunch of summoned dogs nipping at the pigs' heels. A silver-haired leaf-nin was barreling down on the herd, trying to steer them back down another street.

"I'll get you for this, Kakashi," came a little pug's voice, bouncing on top of the lead pig.

In total shock, Kana turned to her mother, "What was that?"

Mitsu shook her head, "A 'D' rank mission."

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After being sent away by the Hyuuga guards, Sakura trudged along the streets, feeling completely downtrodden. Wandering for a while, she then noticed the sign to one of her favorite shops.

"Ice cream," she sighed sadly, "I could use some ice cream... chocolate ice cream with dark chocolate syrup and choco-sprinkles." She went inside and waited for her turn in line. After a minute, she heard the door chime go off. Sakura turned around to find a depressed Ino standing behind her.

"Ice cream," Ino was muttering to herself as she stared at nothing, "Chocolate ice cream with extra whipped cream."

Sakura tapped her best friend on the shoulder. Ino jumped at the sight of the pinkette.

"Boy trouble," asked Sakura.

"Boy trouble," said Ino. Both girls sighed as they waited in line.

"Yatta! Ice cream," came a familiar little voice from outside. Sakura and Ino turned to see Kana and Mitsu heading their way.

"Hello Ino-sensei! Hi Sakura-sensei! Getting ice cream too?" Kana bounded happily next to her teachers. Both girls nodded and looked to see a blue Mitsu mumbling under her breath.

"Ice cream... chocolate ice cream with hot fudge."

"Boy trouble," asked Ino.

Mitsu frowned, "Absolutely not!"

"Of course not," Sakura sneered then she asked, "Man trouble?"

Mitsu's head dropped pitifully, "Hai."

They all sat down at the same table once they received their orders and ate their chocolate in companionable silence... except Kana, who kept getting brain freeze.

"Ow," the little girl clutched her head.

The older woman turned to Sakura, "You and Neji?" Sakura nodded then turned to face her blond friend.

"You and Shino?" Ino nodded and turned to Mitsu, who was patting Kana on the head.

"You and..., " Ino blinked for a moment, "Who the hell are you moping about? You could have your pick!"

Mitsu rolled her eyes, "My problem isn't as bad as Sakura's and probably not as bad as yours, but it is choco-therapy worthy." She noticed their blank stares.

"Izumo-kun," sighed Mitsu, "Isn't going to the Summer Garden Party and I just paid through the nose for a kimono I'm not sure I should wear anyways."

The three of them turned back to their chocolates and sighed again. It was not long after finishing her ice cream that Ino perked up.

"Well, since it looks like we're all dateless for the party, we might as well go together. For moral support and all."

"I don't see why not," shrugged Sakura.

"Fine with me," Mitsu then scowled, "I just hope that weird guy with the eyebrows doesn't propose on the spot!"


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Naruto and I don't own "Honey" by Mariah Carey

**Chapter 6**

It was the day of the Summer Garden Party and Konoha was abuzz with preparations. One particular shinobi was ducking and weaving around crowds along main street.

"Since when did I become Shino's dog," complained Kiba as he and Akamaru rounded the corner to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. After telling Akamaru to wait outside, Kiba double checked that there was no one outside watching before he reluctantly entered the shop. When he opened the door, he was greeted by a depressed Ino, who barely looked up from her newspaper. Kiba had to clear his throat twice to get her attention.

Startled for a moment, Ino slapped her newspaper shut and automatically chirped out, "Welcome to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. May I help you?" It took a moment for her eyes to refocus on the shinobi before her.

"Oh, Kiba," Ino's real face appeared as it fell into the previous melancholy, "What's up?"

Kiba shrugged, "Not much. Thought I'd pay a little visit. Looks like someone could use some cheering up."

"No, Kiba. I won't go on date with you," Ino quickly shot out as she flipped through her newspaper again.

"I wasn't going to say that... again," he growled the Inuzuka grinned again, "Look there's no need to be so glum. Maybe good things can happen when you least expect it." He winked at her, while trying to pass off a little note. She missed the note entirely, but peered strangely at Kiba.

"Do you have some dirt in your eye? And what are you talking about... 'Good Things', my ass."

Trying not to lose his patience, Kiba sighed at the girl, "I might have something very _interesting_ for you." He tried slipping the note onto the counter and pulled another sly grin on Ino.

"Kiba, You Pervert!" Ino instinctively started rolling up her newspaper.

Kiba was momentarily puzzled, then shook his head vehemently, "What? No, that's not what I meant! Argggh! Just take the damn note, woman!" He waved the envelope right in front of Ino's eyes.

"I don't need love letters from such a crude secret admirer, Kiba." Ino crossed her arms and glared at the exasperated ninja.

At his limit, Kiba raised his arms up and down, "I'm not your secret admirer! Can't you read, Ino! The outside is address to you from..."

Finally reading the envelope, Ino snatched the note from Kiba's hand and tore it right open. Kiba covered his head from the ear-splitting squeal that emerged from Ino's throat.

"Kami, I feel sorry for Shino. Man, those are some pipes!"

"What was that?" A scary Ino turned viciously towards Kiba with her rolled up newspaper.

"Uh, lucky guy that Shino," he glanced at his empty wrist, "Well, look at that a freckle past a hair. I gotta go. Bye!" Kiba ran all the faster out the shop, when he heard an encore of Ino's first gleeful performance.

---------------------------------

As Mitsu pulled on some jeans and tank top, Kana's voice rang down the hallway, "Bye, Mom! I'm gonna walk to school with Hanabi-chan."

Looking down the hall, Mitsu raised an eyebrow when she noticed there was a lack of a certain Hyuuga girl outside, "Really? Does Hanabi-chan know about this?"

Kana smiled evilly, "Not yet!" Then she took off out the door, leaving her mother shaking her head.

"Tch, It looks like Hanabi's got a stalker."

She sighed as she started in on the chores. Sakura said the housekeeper should be coming in about a week. That does not mean leaving the place untidy. She started in on the kitchen and to help pass the time, turned on the radio. Earlier Kana had found a pop station and it was blaring out the latest hit. Mitsu never understood this whole 'Hating kid's music these days' attitude. Some of this stuff was pretty good. At least the songs were fun to listen to.

Dancing to the beat, she kept moving along the housework and planning tonight's dinner. After hearing the washing machine screech to a halt, Mitsu gathered up the first load and was about to stuff them in the dryer, when she noticed the beautiful sunny weather.

"Hmm," she pondered while setting up the washer again, "I wonder if I should dry the clothes outside today?" Outside her grandmother's home there were trees in the backyard that Mitsu could use for a laundry line. There's only two walls, but with solid construction it might work. Mitsu walked to the sliding door and glimpsed outside. The yard was still in a shambles, but if she picked up the small pieces and swept up the plants, no problem.

"Eh, why not," after turning up the radio's volume, she picked up her broom and opened up the sliding door.

As soon as the door slid open, the Hyuuga guards and whoever was in the rock garden had their precious solitude invaded by some "Insipid Hip Hop" music. Unfortunately, that somebody in the rock garden turned out to be Hyuuga Hiashi, clan leader and a person who could teach rocks how to be stone cold.

All three used their Byakugans to see where the nuisance was coming from. Much to their chagrin, they found the annoyance in the Uchiha home next door. The guards sighed exasperated at their irritating neighbor. Hiashi had half a mind to walk over there now and lecture the woman on the importance of meditation. He was about to stand up, when giving closer look, found the Uchiha widow cleaning up the yard.

'Wait a minute,' he thought, 'What does she think she's doing? I sent a request for workers to do that. It should only be another day. Does she think Hyuugas go back on their word?'

Just then the music changed, to a woman breathlessly crooning a song that immediately caught Mitsu's attention.

She laughed out loud, "Oh Kami! I haven't heard this song in forever." She thought back ten years ago when she and her team had to infiltrate a cabaret. Mitsu grinned at how she had to perform to that particular song. After hours of practice, she was able to get close enough to her target to slip some knockout drops in his drink. As she happily reminisced, Mitsu sang along with the words, used the broom as her microphone, and rolled her hips to the beat. Too wrapped up in her mind, she completely forgot about the ever-present guards on either side of her property.

Mitsu started going through the entire dance routine she learned so long ago. A shoulder roll here... a hand tracing her curves... step to the left... ... hip shake now.

_It's like honey when it washes over me  
You know sugar never ever was so sweet  
And I'm dying for ya, crying for ya, I adore ya  
_

Hiashi was stunned to see the Uchiha widow dancing alluringly to, in his opinion, this utterly ridiculous song. He watched her strut along the patio and sing into broomstick. His mouth slowly dropped open as she confidently rocked her hips in time with the beat. As she slowly danced around in a circle, Hiashi's pearl eyes centered in on the woman's derrier in her tight jeans. Her face sported a seductive smirk as she sang along perfectly with the singer.

_Whoa whoa every little thing you do_

She snapped her fingers, while vogue-ing provocatively to the beat.

_Oh oh honey got me hooked on you_

'**That** is not how a proper lady should act in public even if it is her own backyard,' he thought angrily. And yet he felt his face continue to heat up and his mouth go dry

'What if some voyeur was watching?' He tried not to listen to a small voice asking what exactly was it that Hiashi was doing. Try as he might, his eyes were captured by the burgundy beauty throwing caution to the wind, prancing like a stripping burlesque girl. Not that Hiashi, the great Hyuuga clan leader, would ever go to such a place... nowadays.

"Ugh," he pulled his hands to his head, "This is absurd! I refuse to watch some two-bit floozy make a fool out of herself." When Hiashi looked back up, she had disappeared. The radio had moved on and the smaller debris were picked up. The Hyuuga clan leader felt immense relief followed by a tiny pang of disappointment. Tuning out the radio, he tried to get back to his meditation and once again was disturbed by more noise from his neighbor. Head hanging low, he wondered what deity saw it fit to torture him and reactivated his Byakugan.

He was surprised to find Mitsu coming back with two baskets full of clothes, dropping them on the patio. Then she came back with several kunai and what looked to be spooling trap wires. He watched her curiously as she pulled out the wires with her teeth and attached kunai together.

"What is she doing?"

Mitsu checked her handiwork carefully making sure two of the kunai had tight knots while the others were loosely wrapped with the spool ends. Nodding in satisfaction, she surveyed the yard, carefully measuring the distance from one wall to the next. Taking note where the dojo and broken benches were, she took a deep breath and dove forward.

Jumping in the air, she sent the two kunai flying on either side of her, embedding themselves deep in the walls. Mitsu rolled once on the grass and threw the last set.

Two perfect laundry lines stretched out in front and behind her. Turning around, she carefully tested each wire by plucking it and listening to the resonance. Two high pitched pings later, Mitsu shrugged.

"Good enough," she said then walked down to the baskets. Mitsu pumped chakra into her hands and feet at the same time, picking up some of the wet laundry. She ran at an intense speed while pinning clothes to the wires. In less than ten seconds, all the laundry was hanging and secured.

"Hmmm," Mitsu sighed as she carried the empty baskets inside, "Retirement's starting to get to me. It took me twice as long this time."

Inside Hiashi's confounded mind the small voice came back a little stronger, 'Two-bit floozy, huh?' His eye gave just the slightest twitch.

----------------------------------

From a safe distance, Naruto turned to Shino as they watched Neji search the shelves of the most expensive sweets store in all of Konoha, "Did you send Kiba with the note already?"

Shino nodded. It had been a half hour and Naruto was becoming more irritated by the minute, he tried again to get a proper conversation from the bug master.

"Did you scout the party grounds for you're Secret Picnic?"

Shino nodded again.

"Are you going to buy Ino some chocolates too?"

Shino shook his head.

"Why the hell not?"

Shino tilted his head in thought, "She's more a Peaches and Cream girl." He picked up the dessert's scent on Ino's lips when he bumped into her two days ago.

Neji walked out of the "Premier Chocolatiers" shop with a small heart-shaped box in hand. Naruto and Shino straightened up from the wall across the street where they were waiting for the Hyuuga.

Naruto hopped around the jounin, "So? So?"

"Hn," said Neji as he held up the box with one hand. It had a soft gold ribbon wrapped around it with a sweet little bow in the middle. Sakura's name was written on the ribbon.

"I had to charge it to my account to finish paying for their smallest box. Do you realize they charge by the letter for that stupid personalizing," he complained.

"Quit your griping, man," said Naruto as he inspected the box as if it was a diamond, "You've got the money for it."

"Not today I don't. I spent half of it on your ramen and the rest on this ...this..."

Naruto crossed his arms with a knowing smirk, "This key straight to Sakura's heart! Among other things." The blond shinobi wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Do you want me to knock you out again."

"Okay, okay. Touchy!"

Naruto then led them to an open lot where there was a construction crew cleaning up debris from a recently demolished building.

"This'll be a good place for start the second phase of the plan. There's plenty of room. The place is already a mess and only a short walk to the hospital."

Shino went to find a comfortable seat on a workbench, "But the Hokage Tower has a view of this place. Won't Tsunade-sama see you two fighting?"

Naruto shrugged, "Don't know. Don't care."

Annoyed, Shino decided to bring up a very good point, "You know it may be a bit hard for Sakura to believe that the great Hyuuga Neji was defeated by her dobe teammate."

"Again," added the clueless Naruto while giving Neji a pat on the back.

Neji stiffened when Shino's words hit home. No wonder he was in such a horrible mood. First, he had to spend a pretty penny on chocolates that would last less than ten minutes. Second, he was going to have to "Lose" to Uzumaki Naruto for an unbelievable excuse to see Sakura.

The dark haired shinobi growled as he pulled away from the Kyuubi vessel, "That fight was just a fluke!"

Naruto smirked, "Hah! You wish! I can beat your ass any day, Jounin."

"You have a big mouth for a Genin," snarled Neji as he gave Naruto a poke in the chest.

"Hey," Naruto gave Neji a shove, "I've been training with a Senin. That beats your Jounin rank any day!"

"You know what? Slight change in plan," Neji turned on Naruto with his Gentle Fist fighting stance, "How about I kick your ass and send Hinata to coo over you."

Naruto brought a hand up to his chin and gave this idea some serious thought, "Nah!"

He swung a punch at Neji, expecting to find nothing there, and reached out with a kick from behind to stop the Hyuuga's attack.

Neji easily twisted away from Naruto's leg and tried to hit a chakra point, but was distracted by a Naruto clone coming from behind.

Shino jumped up from his seat, "Guys! Guys! The plan was for you to 'Fight' not to ..." he paused for a moment to think then gave a short salute in the other two's general vicinity, "Never mind. Carry on!"

Naruto had gotten a lot faster since the Chuunin exams and Neji was having a harder time getting to the guy's chakra points. Neji realized he was actually going to have to set the chocolates down to fight Naruto.

"Damn! Shino, catch!" He sent the heart-shaped box flying in Shino's direction. The bug master caught it with ease and carefully placed it under his arm.

It just so happened, walking arm-in-arm Neji's teammates came across the scene. Lee and Ten-ten were curious to find Naruto and Neji at each others throats... again.

"Hey Shino," Ten-ten waved, "What's going on? Is Neji under orders again to drive Naruto away from Hinata?"

Lee frowned and raised his fist, "How unyouthful! Naruto and Hinata are very happy together. The main branch should just accept it!"

Shino was about to explain what was really going on, but stopped as he figured Ten-ten was friends with Sakura and she might ruin the whole illusion. That is if there was an illusion left. He groaned slightly as he watched Naruto start bringing in more of his shadow clones.

"Naruto called Sakura the "Forehead Freak" and Neji is kicking his ass," he recited numbly.

Ten-ten gasped horrified while Lee became furious, "How dare Naruto insult his teammate! Yosh! I will join my eternal rival in teaching the uncouth boy some manners." Lee took off running leaving a panicking Shino.

"Lee! Wait! Don't get involved! Shit," Shino handed the chocolates to Ten-ten, "Please hold this. That's Neji's. Don't let anything happen to it."

Ten-ten watched Shino chase after Lee, trying to block the Green Beast from interfering. She looked down at the heart-shaped box and read Sakura's name on the ribbon.

She smiled happily, "Well, it's about time, Neji!"

"About time for what," asked a muffled voice from behind her. Ten-ten turned to find Chouji standing behind her with a bag of chips in his hands.

She held up the box for Chouji to see, "Neji bought chocolates for Sakura." Chouji's eyes bugged at the sweets in Ten-ten's hands.

"Is? Is that a Premier Chocolatiers box?" Ten-ten glanced at the front of the box.

"Looks like it," she watched the Akimichi boy suspiciously, "Why?"

The bag of chips dropped from Chouji's hands as he reached out to the sweets, "Do you know how much those cost? Do you realize the caliber of gourmet skills that go into each... delicate... morsel?" Drool was starting to drip from his lips.

Ten-ten pulled the box closer, "Hang on there! These are for Sakura."

"Oh please, Ten-ten," weeped Chouji, "Just one chocolate. Sakura will never notice just one missing."

"That's not the point," Ten-ten started backing up, "Neji will kill you if you touch even one."

Chouji had stopped listening now. He was so close to cocoa heaven and all he had to do was get past one little kunoichi. He blew up like a balloon and his appendages started disappearing into his clothing.

"Chouji! Please, I don't want to hurt you," she spun around and ran for her boyfriend, "LEE-KUN!"

The green blur that was circling Naruto rematerialized as Lee when he heard the desperate plea from his girlfriend, "Ten-ten?" He was surprised to find the kunoichi bolting past him while passing off the box of chocolates.

Lee looked at the heart-shaped box curiously before seeing an enraged Chouji on the hunt, rolling straight for him.

"Ahhh!" Terrified, he blurred away just in time. Now some distance away, Lee looked for his girlfriend, who was hiding behind a port-a-potty. He rushed for her while evading Chouji easily.

"Ten-ten, where did this come from?" He dodged the attack from the Akimichi while Ten-ten lept away from the rolling ninja, landing near Shino. The port-a-potty went flying through the air and crashing into the wall of a neighboring building.

"It's a gift for Sakura from Neji," Ten-ten shouted, "Defend it with your life!"

Lee froze while carefully inspecting the box, "Really? Neji is in love with the Cherry Blossom? I should return this to him immediately." Lee lifted a hand above his eyes, as he searched the construction site for his teammate, not realizing that Chouji was heading straight for him.

Ten-ten smacked her forehead and pointed to behind her boyfriend, "Lee! What did I just say?"

Shino sent his beetles out at top speed. They swept past Ten-ten and headed straight for Lee. The green clad ninja was surprised to find himself in the middle of a beetle swarm. One minute ago, Shino was interfering with Neji's rescue now he was saving Lee. At least, that was what Lee thought before he found his hand empty and the chocolates hovering safely in the air.

BRRRRMMMMM! Lee was seen a second later spread out on the ground, battered and bruised.

Ten-ten put her hands on her hips, "You could have saved Lee too!"

"Not enough time," lied Shino, "Besides it's best he's out of the way." He directed his beetles to carry the box to the far side of the construction site, leading Chouji to Naruto and Neji's direction.

"Let those two deal with the Akimichi," sneered Shino.

There was a crater from Neji's Heavenly Spin from when fifty of Naruto's clones were closing in on the Hyuuga and Naruto was sporting specific bruises on a few of his chakra points.

"Sakura's gonna have to nurse you for a week, when I'm done with you, Neji," jeered Naruto, "You should be thanking me!"

"Hinata wont recognize your face for a month, baka," Neji reappeared behind Naruto and sent an Empty Palm chakra burst crashing into his back. Naruto went flying out of the construction site and into the next building with a boom.

Neji was about to follow Naruto when he found Shino's beetles dropping off Sakura's chocolates into his hands. Puzzled, he reactivated his Byakugan to see what Shino was doing. Instead he saw Chouji rolling toward him with intense speed.

Neji was able to sent an Empty Palm at Chouji in time, but the Akimichi's momentum was too great and the chakra pushed the Hyuuga into the same wall that Naruto had just crashed into.

As Naruto was picking himself up from the rubble, Neji's body slammed on top of the blond shinobi.

"Oi! Give me a chance to stand up, Hyuuga!"

Neji shot up and quickly shook the debris off, "We've got a problem."

"Besides the one you have with me?"

Chouji burst through the wall and pulled out of his Human Bullet Tank jutsu.

"CHOCOLATE," he bellowed like a madman.

"That's a problem!" Wide-eyed Naruto jumped back from Chouji's Multi-sized fist that slammed between him and Neji.

Neji had jumped the other way and hit a chakra point reducing Chouji's hand to it's normal size, "There is no way I'm losing these chocolates. I paid a fucking fortune for them!"

"Not for you, Chouji! Bad Chouji!" Naruto dodged an attack from a multi-sized foot then kicked the oversized shin. He heard a satisfying crack from the injury.

Chouji shouted in pain, but continued to ignore Naruto and barreled at the Hyuuga for the box.

"Over here, Neji," Naruto waved his arms high. Neji sent the box sailing past Chouji into Naruto's hands.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Suddenly there were thirty clones each with a copy of the box.

"Come and get it, big boy," shouted each of the clones while waving their boxes in the air. They all scattered to the rest of the building while Chouji chose a clone at random to hunt down. The clones led Chouji up the stairs into several floors and through numerous walls. Pretty soon the whole building was shaking from all the loss of supports. As each of the clones disappeared in several puffs of smoke, Neji was chasing Chouji looking for a chance to close off more of the rolling nin's chakra. Two hits with his Gentle Fist was hardly slowing the Akimichi down. Neji needed Chouji out of his Human Bullet Tank jutsu to take him down.

"His rotation is too fast," Neji turned to a Naruto clone, "I've only been able to hit him twice. Get him out of his jutsu!" The clone nodded in understanding before it was driven into the floor by Chouji.

Another clone popped up from around the corner and opened it's box, "Oooo, look! Yummy chocolate," then left it on the floor.

Neji just about had a heart attack, "I didn't mean that!"

Chouji, on the other hand, was so intent on the sweets he pulled out of his jutsu to grab the box. Quick as a flash, Neji pounced on Chouji closing as many chakra points as he could before the ninja sent a multi-sized leg at him. Neji had to jump back to a safe distance, but it looked like it worked. Chouji reached for the box that disintegrated in his hands, then tried to get back to his Human Bullet Tank form. His chakra flow was so screwed up, the appendages, that had not been closed off, were alternating in multi-size. A few more key walls were knocked down by Chouji's body confusion and the building rumbled as it started to fall apart.

As pieces of plaster and mortar fell around them, the real Naruto appeared next to Neji and handed the dark-shinobi the box, "Time to go! Come on, Chouji! We gotta get outta here!" Naruto grabbed the exhausted Chouji by the back of his jacket, while Neji ran out the front. A huge cloud of dust encompassed the three ninja as they ran right into an ANBU chakra-draining net. Neji lost his grip on the chocolates when the three of them went crashing on their backsides. The sweets went flying from his hand and out the net. The box landed on the ground where a high-heeled foot came crashing down on it.

"NOOOOO!" All three captives were screaming at the top of their lungs until they saw who that foot was attached to. Tsunade lifted her foot curiously and plucked the box from her heel.

She raised an eyebrow at the trapped shinobi, "And I thought only girls go nuts for chocolate."

An hour later Naruto, Neji, Shino, Lee, Ten-ten and Chouji were standing in front of Tsunade in the Hokage's office. Naruto was trying to explain the situation to Tsunade-baachan, who was getting angrier by the minute.

"You mean to tell me, I lost another building over CANDY!"

"Not just any candy," said Chouji wistfully with his eyes glazing over, "Premier Chocolatier." Tsunade sent an icy glare that froze the rotund ninja.

Ten-ten was gently patting a sobbing Lee's hand while giving nasty glares at Shino.

"Forgive me, Neji! I failed to save the Cherry Blossom's gift! I will purchase fifty boxes to make up for it."

Neji frowned as he held the pitiful remains of the box in his hands, "If you want to go without food for the next three months, Lee, go ahead, but I wouldn't recommend it." Lee cried all the harder.

Tsunade pinched the bridge to her nose, trying to think of some suitable punishment that would not result in more wanton destruction.

"Lee and Ten-ten you are dismissed." The Weapon Mistress led her hiccuping Beautiful Green Beast out the door.

"Chouji, you are to report to the Konoha Demolition Squad tomorrow."

"Shino, Neji, and Naruto three D-rank missions each and a weeks pay deduction."

"What," cried Naruto, "Now I won't have enough money for my date with Hinata."

Neji shrugged, "Well, so far it's not so bad." Naruto growled at the Hyuuga. The blond shinobi really hated D-rank missions.

"_In addition_," Tsunade interrupted Naruto, "Neji will publicly apologize to Sakura-chan at tonight's Garden Party on stage." Shino and Naruto let out a sigh of relief. Neji, on the other hand, was frozen in terror.

The Hokage titled her head in amusement at the young Hyuuga, "If you wish to pursue a relationship with my apprentice, Neji-kun, you might as well get used to public humiliation now."

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Izumo and Kotetsu were making their way to the Hokage Tower as they watched the crowds push past them in the opposite direction. Kotetsu was watching his best friend carefully, who was trudging down the road with his hands buried in his pockets.

"You know, last year you were happy to get out of that stuffy Garden Party," he heard a noncommittal grunt from Izumo.

"Uh huh. It's just as well you don't get to see Mitsu-chan since you would be too busy dodging matchmakers and prowling future mother-in-laws anyways."

Izumo stumbled for a moment as he tried to collect himself, "How did you know Mitsu was going to be at the party?"

"She bought her kimono at the store I was stationed at yesterday and she looked quite beautiful in it too," he grinned as Izumo grabbed a fistful of Kotetsu's shirt. Izumo held his fist back trying not to slug his best friend.

"You're not making things any better," hissed Izumo in Kotetsu's face then he let go of the shirt.

Kotetsu shrugged off his fellow Chuunin's temper tantrum as he straightened his uniform, "It's a good thing we did our Hokage babysitting last year. We can let someone else can take care of her now. We don't have to chase a drunk Tsunade-sama around Konoha Park." Izumo sighed while thanking the deities.

"Maybe if it turns out pretty quiet, I could cover for a certain shinobi as he goes to the party to look for the girl of his dreams," Kotetsu waited while his friend took this plan in carefully.

"Really? Oh thank you, man! You're the best," Izumo gave Kotetsu a big hug.

Kotetsu glanced around hoping no one they knew saw them, "Yeah, yeah, okay. Just make sure I'm invited to the wedding, buddy," he gave an encouraging pat.

As the two walked to the assembled shinobi in front of the Hokage Tower, they noticed most of the group were male and most likely all volunteers. Izumo and Kotetsu nodded to Genma and Kakashi, who actually arrived on time. The Copy-nin _really_ hated that Hyuuga Summer Garden Party.

"Thank Kami, I made it into guard duty tonight," said Genma, "My mother was giving me the third degree again about marriage and giving her grandchildren. She really wanted me to attend. If feel sorry for Raido though, the duty roster was too full." A shared glance between Izumo and Kotetsu relayed that Mitsu's appearance at the party will remain their little secret.

Tsunade came striding to the group with Shizune trailing behind. Both were wearing their traditional office robes and Shizune had her trusty clipboard in one hand.

All the shinobi bowed low and waited for their assignments.

Tsunade looked over her troops until her eyes rested on Kotetsu and Izumo. The two Chuunin could feel her gaze focus on the two of them and tried not to break out into a sweat.

"Four teams of three will be posted at every gate," came Shizune's voice, "Two teams of three will patrol inside the perimeter and three teams of three will patrol outside the perimeter."

"And two of you will have the honor of escorting your lovely Hokage," cooed Tsunade evilly.

"Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu, come on down," she grinned at the horrified Chuunin.

Shizune flipped through her clipboard, "Actually Hokage-sama, we have Tatami Iwashi and Yamashiro Aoba scheduled as your escorts." Said ninja bravely stepped forward.

Tsunade frowned at Shizune, "NO! I will have Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu," then the Hokage started walking away. Shizune shrugged her shoulders in apology to Izumo and Kotetsu.

Groaning loudly, they rushed to walk beside Tsunade as she made her way to the Konoha Park, while the rest disappeared to their posts.

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Kana fidgeted as her mother finished tying her obi, "Almost done, Kana-chan. Let me finish with your hair then you're free to go." Mitsu started putting Kana's hair into two darling little pigtails and used a curling iron to add big corkscrew curls. A quick spritz of hair spray and Kana was running out of the room.

"I'm hungry, Mom," she cried from the kitchen, "Can't I have anything to eat."

"You can eat at the party," Mitsu shouted from her room as she tried to finish dressing without smudging her make-up. She struggled to keep her kimono at an even ankle length while tyeing her koshi-himo belt properly.

"Man, where's grandmother when you need her," she grumbled as the dress fell for the umpteenth time. Luckily, the door bell rang signaling that help had arrived.

"Hi Sakura-Sensei. Hi, Ino-Sensei! You look so pretty!" Kana bounded down the hallway leading the two girls to Mitsu's bedroom.

"Hi girls! You look great!" Waving as they came in, Sakura wore an emerald green kimono embroidered with silver and pink blossoms and Ino was practically glowing in her cream-colored and blue cloud kimono.

Ino glided to Mitsu and helped hike up the hem to its proper length, as Sakura tied the koshi-himo belt. Ino carefully wrapped the date-jime belt on Mitsu before tyeing a butterfly bow, while Sakura worked on the obi-jime.

"Are you really going to wear your tabi socks in this weather," asked Ino as she pointed to Mitsu's legs covered in the cotton fabric.

"It's summer, if we have to suffer through this party without dates, we might as well be comfortable," said Sakura as she hiked up her hem slightly to show her bare feet in her getas. Ino did the same, giving Mitsu a wink. Of course, Ino had other reasons than comfort, but she was going to leave that bit out.

"Oh hell," giggled Mitsu, "I wish I had thought of that sooner." She sat on her bed to pull off the socks.

"No fair," Kana plopped on the floor and followed suit, "Ahh better." The eight year old wiggled her toes in the air in front of her mother.

Mitsu quickly covered her nose and made a retching sound, "Ugh, Kana-chan! Put them back on!"

Panicking, Kana pulled her toes to sniff them, but her stiff obi prevented the girl from bending close enough. She was rocking back and forth on the floor, while straining to smell her feet. Sakura and Ino nearly bust their guts laughing.

Kana glared realizing she had been had, "Mom!"

Cracking up, Mitsu stretched her hand and pulled her daughter up, "Come on. We have a party to go to."

The four of them made their way through the crowds as they neared the Konoha Park. They could hear the music and smell the delicious food waiting for them. Kana was having a hard time keeping her excitement under control.

"Will there be games? How much food will they have? It sounds like everyone in there are having fun!" She started hopping as they walked up to the north gate.

Sakura grabbed the little girl's hand before Kana lost her balance, "Careful! Don't ruin your pretty outfit." Kana stuck her tongue out at her sensei.

Ino lit up as she looked down the opposite end of the street, "Hey! Here comes the Hokage." The blond girl pointed down the street to where Tsunade boldly marched past the adoring crowd.

As the Hokage and her escorts drew near, Mitsu nudged Kana that now was a good time to bow. They stayed that way until the Hokage stopped right in front of them.

"Good evening, ladies," said Tsunade with amusement written all over her face.

Ino and Sakura were the first to stand upright to face their mentor, "Good evening, Hokage-sama," they said together.

"My, my, who would have thought that you ladies would arrive at this particular gate at this particular time," smirked Tsunade as she winked at her apprentices.

Confused at the Hokage's comment, Mitsu stood up from her bow to find a blushing Izumo standing right in front of her.

"Izumo-kun," she whispered softly as her red eyes lit up.


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own Naruto. I don't own _Sexyback_by Justin Timberlake.

**Chapter 7**

"Shall we go inside." Tsunade smirked as Izumo and Mitsu broke from each other's eyes. Izumo stepped back to his place to the Hokage's right side and resumed his game face, but his eyes betrayed a happy twinkle for Mitsu. It was all Sakura and Ino could do not to break out into a fit of happy squeals.

Kotetsu and Izumo led the way for the Hokage, her guests through the North Gate and at the same time signaled to the patrols of Tsunade's whereabouts. Strolling between her guards, Tsunade set the walking pace and maneuvered Izumo to walk beside Mitsu. The Hokage was quite satisfied to their blushes deepen significantly.

High above the party, hidden deep among the trees, sat a dark ANBU watching Tsunade and her party make their way through the crowds. He made mental notes of the patrol routes and counted how many foreign dignitaries graced Konoha with their presence. Next years celebration should definitely prove interesting, if all goes according to plan. The ANBU flickered away to find a better view of the party.

Guests continued to filter through the North Gate of Konoha Park and milled around the various tables and activities set up. It was if a private festival was being held for the few hundred people invited. Colorful paper lanterns were strung around the trees and various lamp posts. Games and prizes lined one path and food tables were set up on two separate paths. In the center of the party was a huge stage where music as playing through the speakers. Happy couples were already dancing to a small jazz band and off to the side was a DJ setting up a karaoke machine.

"Marvelous," exclaimed the Hokage happily, "I should do a repeat performance of last year's song! If I remember correctly, I brought the house down!" She stalked off toward the stage, but was intercepted by the Kazekage and his siblings.

"Good evening, Hokage-sama. My brother wishes to have your first dance." Lifting his hands, Kankuro started sputtering his objections, but was shot down with Gaara's icy glare.

"It would be a great honor, Hokage-sama," the puppet master smiled weakly, "May I..." He stretched out a hand to guide Tsunade to the dance floor. Kankuro walked with the elated Tsunade to the middle of the stage and started to slow dance.

"chuunin," Gaara looked straight at Kotetsu and Izumo, "I trust that Tsunade-sama will be kept far away from the karaoke as possible. If there is a repeat performance of last year, you two will experience first hand, my Sand Burial!"

"Hai, Kazekage-sama," the frightened chuunin bowed then took off to relieve Kankuro from Tsunade babysitting.

"If I may be so bold, Kazekage-sama, why is it so bad for the Hokage to enjoy some karaoke," asked Mitsu, "Her singing can't be that horrible." Tamari broke out into a great big grin, while Sakura and Ino giggled uncontrollably.

Gaara glared daggers at his grinning sister, "Her singing was just fine," he growled through his teeth, "It was the lap dance she graced me with that still gives me flashbacks." He felt a horrified shudder course through him.

Kana tugged on her mother's sleeve, "What's a lap dance?" That innocent question started a chain reaction of hemming and hawing among the adults.

Mitsu found herself panicking, while the others looked everywhere, but the little girl. In the past, Mitsu had always been honest with her daughter about sensitive subjects. She even promised herself to not beat around the bush with silly stories about storks or cabbages. Despite her self-imposed oath, Mitsu realized her own parents' favorite cop-out was coming out her mouth.

"I'll tell you when you're older." The eight year old girl innocently shrugged and hurried off straight to the dessert tables.

Ino gave Mitsu a smile and thumbs up, "Smooth. Well, if you'll excuse me. Places to go. People to see." She risked a quick glance around for a young Aburame, who was coolly leaning near the stage. She gave Mitsu and Sakura a wink, then wandered to the other side of the stage, while keeping Shino in eye sight.

Shino watched Ino walk to the stage from behind his dark glasses. She was breathtaking in her kimono and he found himself smirking at his plans on seeing that silky fabric slide down her porcelain shoulders.

Appearing from around the corner, Kiba interrupted Shino's thoughts with a quick nudge, "Hey man! I thought you could use these." Curious, Shino looked at the items that were pushed into his hands.

"Okay, I understand the breath mints," he mumbled, "But the earplugs have me stumped."

Kiba shrugged, "Just in case. Later, man. I found this cutie hanging out by the BBQ ribs." He grinned with an eyebrow wiggle before he took off.

Shino sighed at his perpetually horny teammate then looked around in case his father was hanging around. Sure enough, the Aburame leader was standing next to Hiashi and Neji. If Shino left with his date now, the man would notice right away.

'Damn, I need a distraction,' then he saw the two Hyuugas leave his father and head to where Sakura was talking to Mitsu, Temari, and Gaara. He raised an eyebrow when an idea hit him. He caught Ino's eye and mouthed for her to stay put. Ino kept her distance as she watched Shino making his way on the stage and tapping Tsunade-sama on the shoulder.

Back at the tables, Sakura eyed Ino suspiciously, "She's up to something again. Perhaps I should keep an ... eye on..." The pinkette lost her train of thought when she saw Hyuuga Hiashi followed by Neji making their way through the crowd. Straight towards them.

Mitsu had been busy watching Izumo standing next to Tsunade, who was talking with a young Aburame, and was oblivious to the Hyuuga hosts walking towards their little group.

"What was that Sakura? Keep an eye on who?"

All the older woman heard was a nervous sputtering noise coming from Sakura's direction, "Are you alright?" She turned to see what had upset Sakura.

"Hu-hu-huminahuminahumina," was about all the shocked young widow managed to say. The two elegant Hyuugas were in their traditional clan ceremonial white robes contrasting with their long dark hair flowing free in the gentle night breeze. Striding through the party, their pearl eyes focused on the waiting ladies with a white hot intensity, that melted every female within a five foot radius.

Even Tamari had to open up her oversized weapon to fan herself, "Damn, that's hot!" Gaara rolled his eyes and excused himself to the gizzards and patè table.

"Good evening, ladies," Hiashi greeted the three women with a gracious nod before gesturing to his nephew. Neji quickly nodded to the women on either side of Sakura then turned his full attention to the mesmerized pinkette.

"Good evening, Hyuuga-sama... Hyuuga-san," the women said together. Mitsu and Sakura unconsciously stepped closer to one another, not sure what to make of the two handsome white-eyed devils standing before them.

The younger Hyuuga struggled to keep his mind on track, when he saw Sakura's emerald orbs gazing curiously into his own eyes. His libido kept sending various images of getting Sakura out of those luxurious layers covering the pinkette's body.

'I wonder if she's going commando again?' Neji gave himself a mental slap in order to break that line of thought.

Neji was not the only one staring intently at a beautiful woman before him. Hiashi had proudly stopped himself in time before his imagination started conjuring images of a seductive Mitsu swinging her hips in those deliciously tight jeans with her hour-glass figure enhanced by the clingy tank top.

'Damn!' Hiashi furiously pushed away his thoughts. For a moment, Mitsu could swear she felt Hiashi's mood darken as he glanced in her own red eyes.

"Neji," Hiashi quickly turned to the business at hand, "I believe you have an assignment to finish. Better hurry, before the Hokage notices where we are." Normally, Hiashi would make sure Neji completed his punishments to the fullest extent, but ever since this afternoon, a silly emotion called guilt, made the clan leader a bit more sympathetic to the boy's plight.

Neji closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Taking Neji's hesitance to speak as a bad sign, Sakura panicked and tried to do some damage control.

"Neji," Sakura stepped closer to her crush and gave him a pleading look, "I must apologize for my rudeness the other day. It was very unfair of me and I hope we could still keep our rel...friendship going." Sakura burned bright red when she realized she really wanted to say 'Relationship'.

'Friendship', wailed through Neji's mind as he did his best to remain stoic. Mitsu watched Sakura as the girl visibly slumped to Neji's non reaction to her apology.

All of a sudden, a spotlight hit the area where Neji and Sakura were standing. Blinking away the blindness, everyone heard the Hokage's voice over the loudspeaker.

"Hyuuga Neji, I believe you have an appointment up on stage?"

Hiashi shook his head helplessly at his nephew. With the spotlight following him, Neji pulled his head up high and headed straight for the stage where the Hokage was waiting with a microphone.

'He didn't answer back,' Sakura whimpered to herself.

'Let's get out of here before the waterworks start,' suggested her inner self. She nodded to herself and started slowly backing away hoping no one would notice her retreat.

However Neji noticed right away, 'Where's she going?'

Alarmed, he called out to her through the microphone, "Sakura-san, wait!" A second spotlight focused on the pinkette's back. When she turned around, Neji saw her eyes glistening with tears. He forgot all about the captured audience made up of both branches, several dignitaries, and most of the Konoha's shinobi clans. All that mattered was setting things right.

"Gomenasai, Sakura. Don't leave. I... I...", Everyone waited on baited breath if Neji was going to say that special phrase that all men fear to say and all women want to hear.

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As Neji stumbled on his heartfelt apology, Ino felt a hand from behind slip into hers and gently tug her away from her hiding spot. She turned around to find Shino leading her towards the tree grove. They left the crowds and colorful lights behind as Ino and Shino quietly snuck through the shadows. As they broke through the bushes, Ino peered into the darkness, but could barely make out a small clearing before her.

"Where are we," she pulled closer to Shino and wrapped her hands around his arm. He smiled and lifted his fingers to release a jutsu. To Ino's delight, fireflies started gathering around the couple then they slowly floated ahead illuminating a path to the middle of the clearing. There sat a large picnic blanket with a basket full of food and pillows off to the side.

"Oh, Shino. It's beautiful!" Pleased with her reaction, he brought her hands to his lips and kissed them both. He pulled her towards the blanket and gently picked up the hem of her kimono, helping her sit on a pillow. The fireflies took up circling the picnic creating a soft chandelier above the two shinobi. Shino knelt next to Ino and seated himself close to her.

"Now that we're away from the party, I can do this." Shino then did something Ino only dreamed about. He pulled his shades from his soft brown eyes and looked deep into Ino's baby blues. He reached out with one hand and lovingly brushed her bangs as he cupped her cheek. They both leaned in close until their lips touched tenderly.

Ino lost all coherent thought in that one chaste kiss. It was not long before they found themselves kissing deeper until their lungs complained about something called oxygen. As they pulled a faction apart, Shino and Ino caught their breaths, but continued to nuzzle closely. All that mattered to Ino was taking in every bit that was Shino. She could feel her heart bursting with excitement. Her hands snuck up Shino's chest and around his neck, feeling his supple body underneath his formal yukata. Shino reached behind Ino grasping the small of her back to press her closer. They were about to dive into another kiss, when they heard a small interruption.

Grrrrrrrr... came from Ino's stomach and set Shino chuckling at the red faced kunoichi.

"That's what the food basket is for," he leaned back and pulled out a plate of sushi, placing it in front of Ino. Shino then took out one set of chopsticks and picked up some sashimi.

"Aren't you hungry," asked Ino as she looked for another set for Shino.

He gave her a charming smirk, "Oh very... but I already had some food earlier." His words made Ino shiver slightly. If he wanted to play that way, Ino was already a pro.

He lifted the food up to Ino lips and watched her slowly pull the fish from the chopsticks. He found himself licking his own lips as Ino gazed seductively into his own eyes.

With each following feeding, Ino sucked a little harder on the chopsticks and made soft moans of appreciation that barely reached Shino's sensitive ears. He closed his eyes from the alluring blond, desperate to hold on to his sanity.

Once the sashimi gone, Shino decided to skip the next courses and pulled out two peach tarts with a small dollop of creme in the middle of each one. Ino gasped when she saw the delicate dessert.

"How did you know?" She started to reach for one of them to have her fingers gently slapped by Shino.

"Why should the chopsticks have all the fun," he murmured in her ear. He picked up a tart and fed the sweet dessert to the entranced blonder Shino could feel her lips and tongue brush against his fingers until the last bite. Sadly, the tarts were so small that Ino finished the first one in four bites. Not to let the experience end, she caught his fingers before he could pull them back and gently sucked the sugary syrup from the tips. Keeping her eyes on Shino, he could feel her tongue caress his fingers in a warm wet massage.

That was it. Shino lost his control right then and there. The second tart went forgotten as Shino lunged for Ino.

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"I... I... ," Everyone waited on baited breath if Neji was going to say that special phrase that all men fear to say and all women want to hear.

"I was wrong. Please forgive me." Sakura was stunned beyond belief and it took a smirking Temari to shove the girl to the stage. Neji stretched out his hand, inviting the pinkette to dance, while Tsunade cued the jazz band.

As the music started, Neji pulled Sakura close, "I would very much like to continue our _friendship_, Sakura." The way his voice deepened on the word "Friendship" along with pressing her to him, Sakura got the feeling he was really saying "Relationship".

"Wow," mumbled Mitsu as she watched the two, "Talk about right on target."

Hearing her, Hiashi leaned to the burgundy-haired woman next to him and whispered, "All Hyuugas do their best to excel in _everything_."

Feeling her face heat up, Mitsu hoped that statement was not as sexually loaded as her imagination was trying to make it. She pulled out her fan to hide her crimson cheeks. Unfortunately she forgot about his bloodline trait and Hiashi could see her clearly.

'Hmmm,' he mused, 'How interesting.' He was about to ask the young widow for a dance when some upstart chuunin trotted down the stage and held his hand out to Mitsu.

"May I have this dance," asked Izumo as he bowed. Mitsu forgot about the stately Hyuuga next to her and reached for Izumo right away.

Not to be impolite, she did turn back to Hiashi, "If you'll excuse me, Hyuuga-sama." She smiled brightly before Izumo led her to the dance floor. Hiashi sighed as he watched the burgundy beauty walk away then turned to his original plan for the Summer Garden Party. Disappear from the infuriating Elder Council and find a good hiding spot from the rabid matchmakers.

On the dance floor, Mitsu was wondering why her feelings baffled her whenever she saw the Hyuuga clan leader. Hiashi certainly set her pulse racing, but Izumo was different. His presence was so soothing and yet one sultry look from his dark eyes could make her heart stop. She looked up at the handsome chuunin and Mitsu felt herself melt in Izumo's arms as they danced slowly to the music.

They moved with the other couples that had gathered around Neji and Sakura. Temari had cornered a nervous Shikamaru and was giving her trademark grin to Sakura as they danced by. Of course Lee and Ten-ten were cuddling close like long lost lovers, already comfortable in each others arms. There was a moment of tension when Kankuro asked to step in, but Lee, confident in Ten-ten's true love for him, happily stepped aside for the Leaf-Sand alliance.

It looked like everyone was having an interesting evening. Kana, on the other hand, was bored to tears. Sure, she was glad her mother finally got on with finding love again, but right now there was so much fun to be had and no one for Kana to share it with. Luckily enough, the eight year old came across a familiar face that just hid underneath a dessert table.

"Hanabi-chan!" The older girl groaned as she picked herself off her hands and knees.

'Damn it! How does she keep doing that? I thought I moved too fast for her to see me.'

"Hello Kana-san," droned Hanabi as she dusted off her kimono then crossed her arms, "Are you enjoying the party?"

Kana titled her head to one side, "Hmmm, sort of... The problem is that there are all these great games and no one to play with. Wanna see if you could beat me?"

Hanabi scoffed, "Please, I know I could beat you."

"You haven't gotten away from me yet," sneered Kana.

With a slight eye twitch, Hanabi glared at the younger girl, "Fine," she waved a hand to the game stands, "Pick a game."

All the guest were having a grand time, including one drunken Hokage. Earlier, Tsunade was able to sneak away from Kotetsu when Izumo had happily taken up her suggestion of dancing with Mitsu. Taking advantage of having only one babysitter, the blonder Hokage headed straight for one of the free sake bars and started giving Kotetsu his worst nightmare. He searched high and low all across the party before he recognized a red hat in the distance.

"Waiiii," squealed the blonder, while she readjusted her red hat, "Don't you just love parties!"

"H-hai," said one terrified guest as he slowly backed away. The poor man looked everywhere for help, but found himself in the middle of an ever increasing circle of space.

"Awww, don't go. Oi! Have some sake," she offered the man a bottle she had swiped from the bartender

"Gomen, Hokage-sama. I've already had my limit." The man was quite relieved when Kotetsu finally caught up with Tsunade and took off when the blonder woman turned around.

"Hokage-sama, Hokage-sama! Please don't run away like that again," pleaded the chuunin.

Tsunade just chuckled at her flustered escort, "Oooh. Did I make you worry, Kotetsu-kun?" She ruffled his dark blue hair playfully.

"Have I ever told you that I _love_ your hair? I bet you have all the girlies fawning over you with one shake of your head."

Kotetsu dropped his head in frustration, "Hai, Hokage-sama. Why don't we head to the coffee stand. I'll order your favorite."

Tsunade blew a raspberry in his face, "Screw that! Let's dance!" She used her extreme strength to drag Kotetsu to the center of the dance floor and ordered the DJ to play something fast with a good beat. The catchy trumpet notes of Glenn Miller came blaring out the stereos.

Remembering what happened last year, Izumo pulled Mitsu into a tight embrace and shouted, "Everyone DUCK!" Tsunade swung the panic-stricken Kotestu in air, causing all the dancing shinobi to press their dance partners to the floor. All the people crawled their way safely off the platform as the Hokage got serious. Forgetting exactly who was supposed to lead in swing dancing, Tsunade spun, dipped, and threw Kotetsu high in the air.

Watching the petrified Kotetsu turned into a rag doll, Neji leaned over to Sakura, "You're not fond of sake, are you?"

Much to his relief, Sakura shook her head, "I'm not even old enough to drink!"

When Kotetsu managed to creep to the platform's edge, he found his teammate looking up at him, "Gonna..."

Tsunade grabbed Kotetsu's hand again, threw him backward then whipped him around to land back in front of Izumo, "Hurl..."

Kotetsu had turned such a pale shade of green, Izumo decided now was when his best friend needed intervention. He gave Mitsu a quick salute, like a brave soldier off to war, then jumped up on stage. He tapped the Hokage on the shoulder, who immediately dropped her victim. Neji and Sakura nimbly scooped up Kotetsu and the pinkette started treating him for nausea.

"May I cut in," asked Izumo, "Waaaah!"

Mitsu winced as she watched Izumo swung around the stage, "I see you found one of the better entertainments at this snoozer," came Anko's voice.

Anko winked at her friend, "Tsunade's love of sake is one of the many secrets all Konoha have come to enjoy. I swear the Hyuuga Clan arranges for all the free booze just to see what our beloved Hokage will do next."

"Secrets? What secrets," asked Mitsu as she saw Izumo flipped over by Tsunade, "Ooo, that's gotta hurt."

Anko waved a hand nonchalantly, "Oh, like this party is the biggest matchmaking scheme to hit the village. For years, shinobi over twenty-five have been brow-beaten by their parents to come. Then the Elders and clan leaders scour over whose available or 'Worthy' for whoever's looking to get hitched."

Mitsu gave Anko an incredulous look, "You're kidding. It's been such a nice and relaxed feel to the party."

"Before," Anko raised a finger, "You've had Izumo and Hyuuga-sama standing next to you. Now that all male presence around you has disappeared, I expect the wolves will start closing in soon."

"What!" Mitsu looked left then right to find several groups of matronly women examining her and Anko from afar. Some of the mothers had their grown sons right next to them and it was clear from their faces, everyone was wondering about the new girl.

Mitsu desperately grasped Anko's sleeve, "You gotta get me out of here. I don't want to end up accidentally engaged to a total stranger."

Anko grinned, "No problem! I've been avoiding the matchmakers for two years now. Just follow my lead." Anko pulled out her fan and calmly made her way to where Neji and Sakura were helping Kotetsu to stand up.

"Kotetsu, could you relay to Izumo that the buzzards have started circling and I'm smuggling Mitsu to safety." He nodded and gave Mitsu encouraging smile as Anko led the nervous woman away.

"Now all I have to do is figure out a way to get _Izumo_ to safety," Kotetsu scratched his head planning his friend's rescue. The chuunin walked up to the DJ and whispered in his ear.

"And now ladies and gentlemen," the DJ's voice rang through the sound system, "Begins the karaoke portion of our night!"

"Yatta!" Tsunade dropped a dizzy Izumo and started to head toward the microphones. To her annoyance, the mics were missing.

"Aw, no fair!" It took both Izumo and Kotetsu to carefully urge the Hokage off the stage and join the audience.

The DJ's voice boomed out the speakers, "It looks like our first performers are Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo." Before heading for the stage, Kotetsu whispered his plan to Sakura.

"Please work fast, Sakura-san." He and Izumo jumped on stage as Sakura pooled her chakra into her hands. The pinkette hovered her hands over the grumbling Hokage's forehead.

The chuunin signaled to the DJ then opened up with the only song they knew by heart.

_I'm Bringing Sexy Back..._

_Yeah..._

_Them Other Boys Don't Know How To Act..._

_Yeah..._

By the time the song ended and the applause died down, Sakura had extracted almost all of the alcohol and a sober Tsunade was rubbing her sore temples.

"Tch, you could have helped with the hangover too," groaned Tsunade.

Sakura shrugged, "I had to work fast. Those were my orders, Hokage-sama."

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As Anko led Mitsu past a group of whispering mothers, she held her fan over her mouth and hissed out, "Don't look them in the eye. Don't give them an excuse to talk to you." Understanding, Mitsu opened up her own fan and shielded as much of herself without obstructing her view. A few women tried waving to catch the girls attention, but they pretended to be looking elsewhere and increased their pace. They finally made it around the food tables and into the shadows of the trees.

"Whew," Anko fanned her brow in relief, "That went better than I thought. We're in luck. It also looks like Might Gai decided not to come this year. He's usually the worst of the lot."

Then the hiding women heard the loudspeaker turn on and the DJ announce karaoke time.

"Aw, man," whined Anko, "And I had a good song picked out too."

"There's always Ladies Night," Mitsu patted her friend on the back.

The DJ's voice boomed out of the loudspeaker again, "It looks like our first performers are Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo."

Anko bolted up, "NO Freakin' WAY!"

"I can't believe I'm going to miss that," she pulled on her short dark hair, "They don't sing often, but they only do one song!"

Mitsu tilted her head in curiosity, "What song?" Then heavy beats blasted out of the speakers, helping Mitsu recognize one of her favorite songs.

Both women forgot, just how old they were and squealed like a couple of twelve year old fan girls. They heard Kotetsu's smooth voice singing the verses with Izumo backing up and rapping the refrain. Izumo's sexy voice rumbled through the air and hit Mitsu's libido like a ton of bricks. Mitsu's breath hitched as she imagined Izumo whispering those words in her ear, with her dancing close to his body. She found herself furiously fanning her red cheeks.

Whimpering with her eyes closed, Mitsu bit down on her lip so hard she could taste her lipstick. She was really glad she was far away from the stage right now. How humiliating would it be, if her body automatically jumped Izumo with no regard for her mind's propriety.

"Kami, I need a love life," groaned the young widow as her nails dug deep into her kimono.

Anko nudged her playfully, "What did ya' think I've been telling you? How about on Ladies Night we torture the boys back." The brunette had an evil twinkle in her eye that for the first time Mitsu approved.

She smirked, "What did you have in mind?"

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Mitsu and Anko were not the only ones hiding among the trees out-skirting the party. Uzumaki Naruto was creeping along the shadows, looking for his lady love.

"Hinata..." he whispered harshly, "Hinata."

A delicate young brunette of fifteen was sitting demurely at an empty table. She could clearly see her beau trying to sneak up on her, but the last thing she wanted was to ruin his fun. Hinata made a show of finally noticing Naruto standing behind her chair. She gave the blond boy one of her rare smiles and lept into his embrace.

"I-I can't believe you actually came, Naruto," she whispered in her ethereally soft voice, "D-did you have any trouble?"

Naruto kissed the tip of her nose, "Nah! Everybody's to busy with Tsunade-baachan. Come on." He pulled Hinata from the party table and into the bushes.

At the same time, Hanabi and Kana happened to see Hinata disappear beyond the paper lanterns. Hanabi narrowed her eyes as she activated her Byakugan.

"Tch," she grimaced, "Leave it to Uzumaki to crash a party."

Kana perked up, "Uzumaki? Uzumaki Naruto? What's that dobe doing here?"

"Absconding with my older sister, is what," Hanabi ran to where Hinata was last seen, "If he thinks he'll get some "Alone Time" with her here, he's got another thing coming." Hanabi waved Kana to follow as she started tracking her sister. They picked up the skirts of their kimonos and carefully tip toed past the bushes.

Keeping a safe distance, Hanabi and Kana could still hear strange smacking sounds from behind a tree, accompanied by tiny mewls of appreciation. Kana suppressed her gagging with a hand, while Hanabi rolled her eyes in disgust.

"Can you mask your chakra yet," whispered Hanabi. Kana shook her head. The other girl sighed as she tried to think of a plan.

"Kana-san, why don't you go over there and introduce yourself to my sister, hmmm?"

Kana shrugged helplessly, "What do you want me to do?"

Hanabi smirked, "What you do best."

Hinata jerked her lips away from Naruto and activated her Byakugan, "Someone's coming." Pulling back into the shadows, they listened as patter of little feet came running up.

"HELLO!"

"Gahh!" Naruto and Hinata jumped in surprise to see a little midnight-haired girl in pigtails poking her head around the tree they were hiding behind.

"Are you Hinata-sama? My name is Kana. I'm your next door neighbor!"

Hinata did not know what to make of their intruder, but thought it better safe than sorry, "Um, H-he-hello K-Kana-chan. I-I am Hyuuga Hinata."

Kana came strolling past the tree and stood right in front of Hinata, "Glad to meet ya'! Hanabi-chan mentioned she had an older sister. I was wondering when I was going to meet you. Never thought I'd find you here in the forest though... and with a boy. Yuck!" Hinata started to turn several shades of red.

"Hey! You're the little punk that stole my title," said Naruto as his memory caught up with his eyes, "Whatcha doin' here, girlie?!"

Kana pulled a gold engraved letter from her obi, "Got an invitation. Don't you have yours?"

Naruto pretended to pat himself down, "It's around here somewhere. Not that it's any of your business!"

"Hn," Kana turned her back on Naruto and gave Hinata a great big smile, "I heard that you are the clan heir. That is sooo cool!"

Just then Naruto felt a sharp flick on the back of his head, "Ow! What was that?" Kana turned to the blond boy with an unconcerned look.

"Maybe your brain finally turned on?"

"Why you little bi-," Kana ignored the Kyuubi vessel again and continued to babble at Hinata about anything and everything.

Suddenly Naruto's foot was crushed by a stone that was there a moment ago, "What the hell!"

Hopping around on one foot, he then felt a few pokes on his spine that rendered him paralyzed for a few seconds, but kept him conscious. He careened face forward into the ground, screaming the entire way. Once he regained the use of his muscles, Naruto sprang to his feet and pointed to Kana.

"YOU! I'll get you for that you snot nosed brat!"

"Hey Dobe."

"WHAT!" Kana looked up at him in total innocence shining in her eyes

"What's a lap dance?"

Caught completely off guard, Naruto froze in embarrassment.

Kana saw her chance and took off running deeper in the woods for what she thought were party lights. She could hear Naruto start to chase after her until Hinata's voice made him turn around. Kana continued to run to a dim string of lights, hoping to run across either her mother or Izumo. She was surprised to find the lights were not paper lanterns, but merely small candles sitting on flat rocks. There was no sign of a campfire, only an empty bedroll and a backpack. Kana looked around for the camper. It looked deserted, but leave it to young curiosity to push the limits. A pair of cold onyx eyes watched her from above as Kana slowly crept past the bedroll and knelt on the ground. She was about to open the backpack when...

------------------------------------------------

Anko was the first to step out of the shadows and tentively searched the path for any matchmakers. She looked back and nodded for Mitsu to come out.

"Looks like its all clear. No one seems to be around," Anko walked up to one of the food tables and pulled up some dango.

Mitsu sighed as she stood next to Anko, "Arigato, Anko-san. This has been quite a party. Maybe Kana-chan and I should leave before anything serious happens." There was a sudden gust of wind that sent Mitsu and Anko grasping the table's edge.

"What the hell," growled Anko, "OH NO!"

"My beautiful lady," came an eager voice from behind, "I have been searching everywhere for you!" Terrified, Mitsu slowly turned around to see Freako Sr. standing there with arms full of stuffed animals and prizes. He was going to dump the load of gifts into Mitsu's arms, when Anko stepped in front of the poor woman.

"Gai-san, So good to see you! Are those for me," Anko then quickly turned to Mitsu, "RUN! Oh, Gai-san you shouldn't have!" Anko grabbed a hold of Gai, giving Mitsu a head start. Bunching up her kimono, Mitsu took off running into the bushes, being careful to mask her chakra.

"Mitsu-chan," wailed Gai in the distance. Mitsu pushed chakra into her feet and ran all the faster when she heard Anko's small cry of pain from Gai pushing the young jounin off himself.

"Mitsu-chan!" Desperate, she jumped onto a low tree limb and hopped up several branches. Her hairpins became tangled up in the smaller branches, making her long hair fall out it's bun. Mitsu stopped on a high branch to comb the leaves out of her hair. Taking long deep breaths, she calmed her racing heart and slowed her breathing.

"Looks like we have some company, Hiashi," said a deep voice above Mitsu. The young widow looked above her to find a tall Aburame and Hyuuga Hiashi standing on a higher bough, staring down at her.

"Mitsu-chaaan!" Gai's voice was getting closer.

Mitsu pressed herself to the tree trunk and hissed to herself, "Shit god damn fucking all to hell... why the fuck does this shit happen to me..." Both men raised their eyebrows at the impressive string of curse words that continued to spew from the Uchiha widow.

"I believe the lady in some distress, Hiashi" said the Aburame.

"I can see that, Shibi," replied the Hyuuga clan leader.

Shibi dropped to the forest floor in front of Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast while Hiashi joined Mitsu on her branch, blocking Gai's view of her.

"Good evening, Might-san," said Shibi, "Looking for something?"

Gai bowed low for the bug master, "Aburame-sama, I was searching for a blossoming beauty, my Mitsu-chan. She has reddish-brown hair and wearing a lovely red kimono. Have you seen her?" Gai looked up at Shibi with a pleading look in his eyes.

"Hmmm, reddish-brown hair..." Shibi lifted his hand to his chin as if to think.

Seeing Gai in waiting the same spot, Mitsu decided now would be a good time for a genjutsu. She gently tapped Hiashi to move slightly to give her a clean line of sight.

Hiashi watched her go through a flurry of hand signs then release her jutsu. Shibi's beetles alerted him to a genjutsu surrounding Gai, he watched the jounin carefully as the jutsu took effect.

"Oh," Gai turned to his right and pointed to a nonexistent figure far away, "I think I see her. Yes, it is her. Thank you for your help, Aburame-sama!"

Gai ran at full speed back to the rest of the party, "Mitsu-chaaan, My love! Wait for me!"

Shibi shook his head in pity at the excited jounin, then joined the other two in the tree.

Mitsu let a huge sigh of relief as she stood up and started straightening her kimono, "Thank you so much! That man has been the bane of my existence since I got here. I swear, I could kiss you both..." The clan leaders' eyebrows shot up in amusement.

"Dyuh, uh I, ah, mean," Mitsu eyes grew wide as she realized what she said then tried to cover up her embarrassment.

"I mean, I hope you two won't mind if I hide up here for a while," she gave them a weak smile, not daring to look the men in the eyes.

"Not at all," replied Hiashi calmly. Mitsu nodded her thanks, then dropped to her knees, trying to get a comfortable seating. The clan leaders jumped up to their former perch.

The two men could hear her softly berating herself ,"Baka, baka, baka, baka, baka..."

Shibi gave a slight chuckle, "She's cute," earning a quick slap to the back of his head by Hiashi.

----------------------------------------------

Kana slowly crept past the bedroll and knelt on the ground. She was about to open the backpack when...

"Who are you," snapped a voice from behind Kana. Her hand froze as she turned around. Up in a tree, sat an ANBU. Leaf ANBU were supposed to be safe, but this one radiated so much killer intent, it scared the crap out of the little girl. His mask stared down at her as he carefully observed the little girl. Her red and pink kimono highlighted how pale her skin was and the hairspray had long since worn off, leaving her midnight pigtails sticking out oddly.

There was something about the girl that unnerved the ANBU. Her blue black hair. Her ivory skin. Even her facial features looked ...familiar.

"I asked you a question," he growled at Kana.

She gulped as her eyes looked for a way out, "K-Kana". She started to crawl backwards, tensing her legs to run.

Before Kana could pump chakra into her feet, the ANBU blurred from the tree, reappeared in front of Kana, then grabbed her throat. He slammed the little girl on a tree trunk and peered closely at her.

"What is your full name?" Feeling her head fill with pain and her vision swim, Kana scratched desperately at the hand grasping her throat. Still a novice with her bloodline limit, her eyes automatically turned red, revealing her tomoe and her _family name_.

"Sharingan? IMPOSSIBLE!" The ANBU squeezed harder, still not quite believing his eyes. He pulled off his mask to get a better look.

"Y-you...you're," Scared for her life, Kana's voice cracked as she tried to get more air.

"TEME!" Naruto's voice came roaring through the trees.

"Fuck," hissed Sasuke. He cursed himself for letting his guard down because of a little brat. Naruto had felt his chakra the moment Sasuke was surprised by Kana's Sharingan Now all the leaf-nin was going to tear him limb from limb. Sasuke threw Kana to the ground and hightailed it out of there.

Kana rolled herself to her hands and knees, coughing violently as her lungs demanded air. Naruto, Hinata, and Hanabi came crashing through the bushes to find Kana kneeling in the dirt.

"Kana-chan," Hinata and Hanabi hurried to the little girl's side. Hanabi looked Kana over and found fresh blood from behind the eight year old's head. The two girls stayed with Kana while Naruto continued chasing after the infamous traitor.

Activating her Byakugan, Hinata pulled Kana into her arm then ran for the party, "Hanabi-chan! Go find a guard, or the Hokage, anybody!" Hinata's stutter disappeared as she barked out orders to Hanabi.

"Tell them Sasuke's here and Naruto is on his tail." Her younger sister disappeared in a blur, while Hinata ran to find Sakura, "It's okay now, Kana-chan."

On the far side of the park, Shino pulled himself off of Ino and grabbed his glasses, "Someone's coming. Whoever it is, is in a hurry."

"Shit," Ino pulled her kimono back on her shoulder and pulled out her kunai. Shino poised himself in front of Ino, ready to defend her. A dark figure ran past them, completely ignoring the two lovers as he made his escape.

"Kami! Was that who I think that was," Ino drew closer to Shino in terror, "That was Sasuke!"

"I've got to get you out of here," Shino grabbed her hand as they both pushed chakra into their feet and ran for the party lights. They ran past Naruto, who only gave them a slight nod while still pursuing Sasuke.

Running through the trees, Hanabi used her Byakugan to find whoever was closest. She was surprised to find her father, Aburame-sama, and Kana's mother in a tree nearby.

"Father," Hanabi turned to jump into the tree limb with the clan leaders, "Uchiha Sasuke is here."

She pointed to the direction Naruto ran after the Uchiha, "Uzumaki went after him, but Kana's injured."

Mitsu jumped from her seat, "No! Where is she?" Shibi immediately started sending his beetles to spread the alarm, while Hiashi spanned the area for the Uchiha.

"My sister took her to get medical attention. I'm guessing to the Hokage or Sakura-san."

"Hanabi, take Mitsu-san to the Hokage. We'll meet you back at the stage," Hiashi gave Mitsu an quick nod then he and Shibi ran in the direction Hanabi pointed.

Running at full speed, Hanabi led Mitsu out of the woods and through the party. A small crowd had gathered at the stage, where Tsunade was shouting out orders to various shinobi. Mitsu was relieved to see Sakura kneeling next to Kana, who was sitting upright during her treatment.

"Kana-chan," Mitsu ran up the stage and knelt next to her daughter, "What happened?" Kana's eyes filled with tears as she tried to explain to her mother.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I couldn't help it. He saw my Sharingan," the poor girl started to sob and her mother pulled her into a hug. Sakura had to re-adjust her position, but was able to continue her healing.

"Shhhh, shhhh," Mitsu rubbed her baby girl's back, "It's not your fault. Everyone is here and he's gone now." Suddenly, Kotetsu and Izumo appeared next to the Hokage.

"Report," demanded Tsunade.

"Aburame-sama and Hyuuga-sama came across a small campsite not far from here," said Kotetsu.

"A scroll was found in a backpack. There seems to be a trap jutsu on it. The last we saw, Aburame-sama was trying to neutralize it." Izumo looked up from giving his report then noticed Mitsu and Kana. He gave the Hokage a quick bow before heading towards the mother and child.

"Mitsu! Kana! Are you alright," leaning over, Izumo smoothed down Mitsu's hair as she smiled up at him. He then bent on one knee and stretched a hand to Kana. Izumo lifted her chin to find bruises from where Sasuke had choked the child. He frowned as Kana slightly whimpered when he gently touched her neck.

"Excuse me, Izumo," Sakura stretched a hand to heal Kana's bruises, "I had to take care of Kana's head trauma first, but I can now heal the rest."

"Head trauma," he repeated with a growl. Looking into each others eyes, Izumo and Mitsu had a silent agreement, if given the chance, to do their absolute best to rip the bastard a new one.

Kotetsu came up from behind Izumo, "Good to see you two are okay. The Hokage had arranged for the Hyuuga Clan to accompany you home."

Surprised and somewhat disappointed, Mitsu looked up at Izumo "You're not going to take us home?"

Izumo took by the hand Mitsu, "Kotetsu and I have been given a new mission. We have to leave right away."

Mitsu gave an understanding nod and gave Izumo's hand a squeeze. In turn, he lifted hers and gave Mitsu's palm the soft kiss. Then the two chuunin flickered away to their mission.

"Mitsu-san," Hiashi walked up the stairs and crossed the stage, "Shall we go." He stretched out his hands to help Mitsu and Kana up from the floor. Leading his charges down the platform, Hiashi let Mitsu wrap her arm around his, while she held Kana's hand tightly.

At the bottom, stood Neji, Hinata, Hanabi, most of the Hyuuga main branch including the Hyuuga Elders. Hiashi could feel Mitsu's hand tense at the sight of so many people waiting to escort her and Kana home. As the eight year old walked close to her mother, she pulled Mitsu's free arm over her little shoulders for comfort. All the while, the Hyuuga clan created a protective circle around Hiashi, Mitsu, and Kana as the group made its way to the gate.

"Gomenasai, Hyuuga-sama. Your beautiful party was ruined," guilt ate at Mitsu as she looked up at Hiashi's calm visage.

Hiashi shook his head, "Nonsense. If anything, this year's was one of the most interesting that I can remember." He laid his hand over hers in comfort before turning to look ahead again.

Hinata and Neji walked quietly behind Hiashi and Mitsu, "Th-they look good together. D-don't they, nii-san?" Neji had to agree.


	8. Chapter 8

Arigato for the reviews! Many thanks to SilverMononoke suggestion for Cherish's "Do It To It". I was pulling my hair out for a fun atmosphere music for the kitchen scene. Unfortunately "Do It To It" wouldn't quite work for Ladies Night, because Mitsu wouldn't be in a happy party mood, more like...hmmm...how to put it...Seduce-Izumo-Into-A-Lustful-Frenzy mood! I'm still sifting through mood music for that. I'd be happy for any suggestions.

**Chapter 8**

Pumping chakra through his feet, Kakashi jumped from limb to limb with Pakkun running just in front searching for signs of his former students.

"Only Naruto would run headlong after Sasuke without backup," grumbled the Copy-nin. Of course, he was one to talk. As soon as he felt Sasuke's chakra, he himself took off to find the missing Uchiha.

"Eh, the kid's always been a hot head," Pakkun sniffed the air, "Two more shinobi are coming up behind us." They stopped where they were and readied themselves for an attack. Kakashi waited for a minute before he heard footsteps coming out of the night.

Suddenly Pakkun popped his head out from the bird's nest he hid in "Wait, Friendlies!" Sure enough Izumo and Kotetsu broke through the trees to land next to Kakashi.

"The Hokage was rather put out to find you gone, Kakashi," said Kotetsu.

"But she's really pissed that Naruto chased after Sasuke instead of informing her," Izumo smirked as he pulled out his kunai, "Shall we go get him?" Kakashi sighed then pointed to the direction they were originally headed. The three shinobi and dog then flickered away towards Naruto and Sasuke's chakra signitures.

Up ahead, Naruto could smell him. The bastard was running away like dog and this time he was going to hunt him down. The darkness hid Sasuke's movements, but the Kyuubi vessel honed in on Sasuke's chakra even with him masking it now.

Sasuke could feel Naruto closing in. Hell, he could hear the dobe crashing through the forest like a wild boar. He sneered at how the deadlast shinobi still disregarded basic protocol. Sasuke knew Naruto was alone, but probably not for long. With the Akatsuki still gunning for the Fourth's Legacy, Konoha would not let Naruto out of their sight if they could help it.

"Better make this quick." Instead of jumping forward, Sasuke flew up high then flipped backward. His hands had already finished the signs when Sasuke landed behind Naruto, catching the Leaf-nin off-guard. The incessant chirping of the Uchiha's chidori nagashi filled the air as both shinobi stared each other down.

"I can't believe the all-powerful Sasuke actually dropped his guard in the middle of Konoha Park full of shinobi and two Kages," smirked Naruto.

Sasuke's face remained passive, but the tomoe in his red eyes showed his irritation, "It's not everyday I come across a Uchiha that should not exist."

"What are you talking about Teme," Naruto peered suspiciously at his rival, "You and Itachi are the last."

Sasuke tilted his head, "Apparently not. That girl... what did she say her name was? That's right ...Kana. The brat took me by surprise and ruined my recon mission. But Orochimaru should be facinated to find another Uchiha to exploit. Might decide to use her instead."

"Not before I rip him and you to shreds," growled Naruto as he lifted a hand, "Shadow Clone Jutsu."

A clone started molding chakra in Naruto's hand, "This time Tsunade-baachan will have to piece you back together, Teme."

"Hn," Sasuke smirked with his sharingan eyes glowing in the dark, "There you go again. Always the loudmouth. Let's see if I can finally get you to shut up!" The missing-nin slid out his kusanagi sword and channeled his chidori through it.

At the same time, the shinobi charged each other fully intent on ripping the other apart. Naruto twisted to avoid the sword, but pressed on trying to land the rasengan on Sasuke shoulder. Sasuke's sword still sliced through the air, catching the edge Naruto's arm.

Naruto felt his arm immediately go limp, while Sasuke clasped his shoulder where the dying rasengan had brushed. Naruto tried to move his hand to summon a clone to mold chakra, but the arm would not respond.

"Damn it," he looked up to see Sasuke cooly switch his sword to the other hand, "Aw, man... this is gonna hurt."

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Kakashi landed next to Naruto's battered body, "He's close. Pakkun, which way?" The pug sniffed the ground then pointed northeast.

"That way. He's probably headed straight for Sound."

"We can still catch him," Kakashi was about to take off when Izumo blocked his path.

"I'm sorry Kakashi, but Tsunade-sama has ordered for your return. Besides, it looks like Naruto will need some medical attention." Taking a good look at Naruto, Kakashi winced in sympathy.

"You're right. Let's go," Kakashi wrapped one arm under Naruto, while Kotetsu took the other. Izumo took point and kept a look out for anymore enemy shinobi. It was not long before the three of them plopped Naruto onto a stretcher, safe inside the hosptital.

Tsunade's hands worked over Naruto's head injury, while Sakura and Ino healed the many lacerations around his arms and legs. Kakashi stood in the back of the room watching the medic-nins care for his former pupil.

The Hokage was the first to pull away from her patient, "He'll be fine now. The Kyuubi should be able to take care of the rest." The two younger girls sighed in relief as they took a step back.

"Good job, girls. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go check with Shizune," Tsunade patted both her pupils on the back and slowly walked out the room. Kakashi nodded to the girls as well before taking off after the Hokage.

Sakura and Ino stood right outside Naruto's door as he snored away his troubles.

"It looks like Sasuke's become more of an asshole lately," mumbled Ino.

Sakura just stared at the window to look at the blonde sleeping happily. The pinkette had been pretty quiet throughout Naruto's healing treament, but her mind was a thunderstorm of anger, guilt, and frustration.

Once again, Naruto tried to bring Sasuke back to Konoha and once again, Sasuke easily eluded him.

"Sasuke-teme," Sakura hissed to herself. That was Naruto's nickname for him, but she found herself thinking of the Uchiha more and more in the same manner.

What happened to the Sasuke that vowed to protect his friends? What happened to the boy who defended the school children from the Sand bullies?

'Those bullies are now some of your closest friends,' piped up her inner self.

Sakura grimaced inwardly, 'That's besides the point! What the hell happened to Sasuke and how do we get him back?'

'You already know what happened and do you really want him back?' Even though she was alone with Ino in an empty hospital hall, Sakura felt claustophobic. She had to get out of here.

"You know," said Ino as she interrupted Sakura's frantic thoughts, "We'll have to accelerate Kana's training sessions. We need to prepare her for any of Orochimaru's sickos."

The pinkette nodded eagerly, "Yes good idea...why don't we combine our sessions and concentrate on teaching her survival techinques."

"Okay, then tomorrow we team up."

"Okay. Um... I have to go, Ino," lied Sakura, "My mom will scream my ear off if I don't get home soon." She ran down the hall before Ino even had a chance to say good bye.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And the night started out so well too," grumbled Tsunade as she marched through the hospital, "Shizune, have you been able to unlock that scroll found in Sasuke's backpack?"

"No, Hokage-sama. Give me a few more hours." Tsunade sighed, "Fine then. If it's still giving you trouble, bring in Sakura. She's familiar with how the boy thinks."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"Did you issue the twenty-four hour high alert?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

"So how much information leaked into the community about Uchiha Kana?"

"Enough to be worried, Hokage-sama. I don't think it can be contained in Konoha anymore."

The two women walked around the corner only to be stopped when Tsunade saw Kakashi standing before her, with his arms crossed and his dark eye staring down at her.

"Kakashi," Tsunade held her ground and looked him right back in the eye, "Is there something you need?"

"When were you planning to tell me about Uchiha Kana," asked the Copy-nin.

The Hokage frowned at Kakashi then grabbed his arm with her chakra-enhanced strength. He let himself be led to an empty room where Tsunade pushed a finger in his face.

"You would have been told, when it was needed to be told. UNDERSTOOD, JOUNIN?" Kakashi's uncovered eye narrowed slightly, betraying his frustration.

"Seeing as how half of all Konoha knows about her now, you are welcome to her file," Tsunade shrugged, "Might as well since you may have to take over Kana's training."

"What? Since when?"

"I said 'Might' take over. So far Sakura and Ino are training with her, but to tell you the truth, I don't know if it will be enough. Once Sound gets word of her, it's only a matter of time before Akatsuki find out. I don't know if Itachi _would_ take any interest, but there's still that chance he may want to pay a visit."

Tsunade gave Kakashi a piercing look, "If I don't see any discernable improvement in her current training then you will become her sensei. Let me make this clear, Kakashi. I do not want to see that little girl's corpse in the morgue."

Kakashi nodded then watched the Hokage leave in a huff followed by a flustered Shizune.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was strange. The Hyuuga leader found himself actually enjoying a woman's grasp on his arm. He had not felt such closeness to a female since Hanabi and Hinata's mother died years ago. Amid the low glow of the streetlights, He risked a veiled look at Mitsu, studying her profile closely.

'Yes,' he thought as he remembered Shibi's words, 'She is quite cute.'

A worried Mitsu looked down at her daughter, who was starting to falter in her steps. As the adreneline drained from Kana's system, the little girl's eyes began to droop and she would have nearly tripped if her mother did not have her arm over Kana's shoulders.

Neji stepped up from behind, "Here, let me carry her." He knelt down and swept up the eight year old. Too tired to protest, Kana merely laid her head on his shoulder and promptly fell asleep.

The rest of the clan broke off when they reached the Hyuuga gates. Although, Mitsu was pretty sure some of the branch members would be reinforcing the guards on duty since the Hokage announced a twenty-four hour high alert. Their little group, however, continued on to the Uchiha home. At the front door, Neji handed a sleeping Kana over to Hinata.

"Give us a minute to check your home," said Hiashi then he and Neji did a complete walk through of the house before letting the women in.

Hinata gently laid Kana on her bed and helped Mitsu replace the kimono with pink bunny pajamas.

"Arigato, Hyuuga-san," whispered Mitsu as they tip-toed out of Kana's room.

Hinata smiled, "Oh, i-it's n-nothing, Mitsu-san and please c-call me Hinata."

"Very well, Hinata-san," Mitsu covered her mouth as she yawned.

"Oh, excuse me," she apologized, "I didn't realize how tired I was."

"I-it's quite alright, M-Mitsu-san. You should get some r-rest," Hinata led Mitsu to the master bedroom, "My father and I will stay here overnight to k-keep watch. Sleep t-tight."

Hiashi gave Mitsu a slight nod good night, before heading to the backyard garden for meditating.

Mitsu gave a small wave to both before closing her bedroom door. Somehow she managed to get out of her kimono and find a nightshirt before crawling under the covers. Two seconds after closing her ruby eyes, she was out like a light.

In the garden, Neji bowed to his uncle, "If you don't mind, Hiashi-sama, I would like to go check on someone." The man nodded understandingly and watched the young man quietly leave the garden.

Neji found Sakura sitting on the roof of her house. She had changed out of her kimono and was back in her shinobi uniform. Not even bothering to look, Sakura patted the tiles next to her. He sat down and watched the stars above, waiting patiently.

"He's becoming more like Itachi everyday," she whispered. All Neji could do was nod.

"Kicking Naruto's ass? Heck, we try to do that everyday, but he finds the one other survivor of the Uchiha massacre and what does he do? He nearly kills her."

She shook her head with a scowl, "He's lost it. Kill Itachi? Good luck. Rebuild his clan...bullshit. He's just an empty automaton to anyone foolish enough to promise him power." Sakura's anger then melted into sorrow as she remembered the night he left.

"I loved him once...," her voice trembled as she reached to grasp Neji's hand, "And with all my heart too." Neji could feel his heart constrict at those simple words, but he kept silent. As if sensing Neji's pain, she leaned into him and laid her head on his shoulder. Sakura place a hand over his heart and felt the rhythmic beat sooth her chaotic mind. It was as if she and her inner self had melted into one serene person.

Some time passed before she murmured softly, "This is nice." Neji lifted his chin to rest on the top of head. He kissed her pink hair as he took in the scent, committing it to memory.

"No one saying everything will be okay, when it really won't. Or screaming in my ear, 'He will pay! Dattebayo.' Neji chuckled at Sakura's Naruto impersonation.

Smiling again, she closed her eyes again, "Just peace," she sighed softly, "Arigato, Neji-kun." The she sat up until she was at eye level with him, brilliant green gazing directly into purest white.

Pulling into his lap, Sakura placed her hands on either side of Neji's face, "_You_ are the best thing that has ever happened to me." Elated and relieved beyond belief, Neji responded by grasping the back of Sakura's neck and pulling her in for a kiss.

The two revelled in each other's touches as their kiss grew deeper. With Sakura sitting in his lap, Neji could feel the softness of her breasts rub against him and the effect was starting to show. The pinkette was a little surprise to feel something press against herself, but found it only fed the growing heat inside her.

She whimpered when Neji pulled his lips away from hers for a moment, "I should go now," he said sadly.

"What? Why," said Sakura.

"Because," he risked a nibble along her jawline inducing a soft moan from the pinkette, "If I don't, I may not be able to stop myself."

Sakura gave him a sly smile and a wink, "What makes you think I want you to stop?" A low growl rumbled from Neji as he dove for Sakura's lips again. After Sakura instinctivly ground her pelvis into Neji, he quickly tore himself from her lips.

"Now I really have to leave," he sighed then forced himself to stand up. Sakura was somewhat stunned, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Thank you for spending some time with me, Neji. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" The pinkette bit her lower lip nervously, hoping she did not look like a total idiot.

Neji smiled and kissed the back of her hand, "Count on it."

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

The dawning sun started to peak over the trees and Hiashi could feel the morning dew dampen his clothing. He stood up from the patio and walked into the house. The Hyuuga clan leader found Hinata sitting in the living room calmly reading a book.

"G-good morning, F-Father."

"Good morning, Hinata. Why don't you head back home for some rest. I'll stay until Mitsu-san has woken up." Hinata nodded and got up to leave, but she did stop to check on Kana and Mitsu.

"It l-looks like they're still f-fast asleep. It m-may still b-be a while," Hinata whispered before going out the door.

"Hn," Hiashi walked into the kitchen and started to make some tea. By the time the kettle had begun to steam, Hiashi heard some stirrings from the master bedroom.

'Oh good,' he thought as he poured the tea into his cup, 'The sooner she gets out here, the better.' Hiashi heard the bedroom door open and a soft yawn echo through the hallway. He sat down at the kitchen table and patiently sipped his tea as he waited for Mitsu.

Yawning and stretching, Mitsu trudged down the hall. She had THAT dream again last night, and this time there were no interruptions. She was still feeling rather dizzy from the _after effects_. So Mitsu was not altogether fully awake. Her unconscious happened to be driving her towards some much needed caffiene that was sitting in the fridge. With her eyes barely open, she casually walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and rooted around for a bottle of mochaccino.

Hiashi had sat down with his back to the hallway and was too busy drinking his tea to notice Mitsu until she was already bending down, head first into the bottom half of the refridgerator. After a long sip, he lowered his tea cup to find Mitsu wearing almost nothing but a T-shirt that barely reached her hips. The nightshirt was just slightly hiked up clearly exposing her lack of underwear... he almost spat his tea out across the table. Luckily, Mitsu's head was still in the fridge and the mechanical hum drowned out Hiashi's choking. It gave Hiashi a moment to compose himself.

'At least she's not pink,' he titled his head thoughtfully.

"Finally," mumbled Mitsu as her hand grasped her coffee.

He was quick to wipe his nose, before Mitsu pulled back out and shuffled to the kitchen table. Sitting down, she opened up the bottle and started chugging the caffiene. Once the drug started working its way through her system, she attempted to fully open her ruby eyes and take a look around.

Hiashi held his breath as Mitsu's eyes wandered around the kitchen until they rested on him.

She did a quick double take, "WAAHHH!" Her bottle went flying through the air, which Hiashi deftly caught before there was a mess to clean up.

"Wha-what the fuck," Mitsu shouted as she stood up and grabbed the front of Hiashi's kimono, "Are you trying to give me a damn heart attack?"

Hiashi visibly paled as a cloud of over-sweetened coffee aroma mixed with Mitsu's morning breath encircled around him, "Good morning, Mitsu-san, but before you try to hit me perhaps you should freshen up first," then gestured to her clothing.

Confused, she blinked then looked down at herself, "Eeep." She pulled her shirt down and ran to her bedroom, slamming the door.

Hiash rubbed his temples in frustration and mumbled, "Maybe I should have just left with Hinata." Then he heard another door open and the soft patterings of bunny slippers. With her eyelids still shut, Kana shuffled to the fridge. Hiashi watched in amusement as the little girl clad in her pink bunny pj's mimicked her mother almost perfectly. Kana pulled out a pint of milk and sat down in her mother's chair. After taking a swig of the milk, Kana opened her eyes and surveyed the room. When she found Hiashi sitting next to her, she cooly looked the man up and down.

"You take your job seriously, don't you," then proceeded to finish her milk.

A few minutes later, Mitsu emerged showered and fully dressed. At least that was what Hiashi hoped. The jean shorts and short sleeve blouse was only few steps above the nightshirt from before. He had to get himself out of there, before another proud Hyuuga was sporting a nose bleed.

"Gomen, Hyuuga-sama," Mitsu shyly looked at the floor as she rubbed her arm absently, "I've never been much of an early bird. Thank you for keeping watch last night."

He gave her a nod, "Your welcome, Mitsu-san," he stood up from the kitchen table and headed for the front door, "I should go now."

Kana hopped from her seat and gave Hiashi a quick wave before disappearing into her room, "Have a good day, Hyuuga-sama!"

Hiashi had just opened the door, when he felt a hand touch his arm.

"Yes," said Mitsu smiling as she dropped her hand from his arm, "Have a good day, Hyuuga-sama." For a wonderful moment, Hiashi allowed himself to envision waking up every morning to this woman beside him.

"Please Mitsu-san, Hiashi will do just fine," he gently brushed her hand and watched her surprised face as she blushed.

The two jumped when they heard someone clear their throat. Standing on the front porch was a Hyuuga elder with a slightly amused look in his wisened pearl-eyes.

"Good morning, Hyuuga-sama," the older man bowed graciously, "Good morning, Uchiha-sama." Flinching, Mitsu instinctively searched the area when she heard her formal name being said aloud.

"Good morning," Hiashi narrowed his eyes at the elder, "Shoda-sama."

Shoda stood up from his bow and held up a small envelope to Mitsu, "For you Uchiha-sama." Hiashi nearly died right then.

'What is that old fool doing,' Hiashi screamed in his mind. Time slowed for Hiashi as he watched Mitsu reach for envelope. He was torn between anticipation and horror as he watched Mitsu open the envelope to read the contents.

"Oh, dinner this evening," Mitsu looked somewhat relieved, "How lovely. We would be honored, Hyuuga-sama."

Amazed he got a response so soon, Shoda bowed once more with a satisfied grin on his face, "Wonderful! There will be no need for formal attair. Something nice will do." Then the elder bowed once more to Hiashi and walked to the gate.

Beaming, Mitsu waved the dinner invitation in the air, "It looks like I'll be seeing you later on then." Hiashi stared at her in disbelief. Surely, she knew what the dinner invitation meant. Right? He stared at her for a second, then took off to find Shoda.

The elder was patiently waiting at the Hyuuga gates. It was all Hiashi could do to not lift the man in the air and shake him.

"What do you think you are doing," Hiashi demanded as they both walked past the guards.

Shoda shrugged, "What we do every year. Send out dinner invitations to all potential brides."

"You do realize she may not know that!" Hiashi hardly ever shouted and it looked like he was on the verge of actually losing his temper.

Shoda grinned happily, "I'm counting on it."

At the same time, in the other side of Konoha, Haruno Sakiko opened her front door to find an elderly Hyuuga woman standing before her.

"Good morning, Haruno-sama," the older woman bowed, "Is your daughter, Sakura-san home?" Sakiko stood in shock as her pink haired daughter bounded down the stairs.

"Who is it, Mom? Oh, Good morning, Hyuuga-sama." Sakura immediately bowed to the elder.

The old woman smiled and held out a dinner invitation to Sakura, "This is for you. Your mother is also invited."

"Oh," Sakura looked the invitation over, "Is it alright with you, Mom? I would like to go."

Sakiko woke from her stupor, "Really?" Even the elder looked somewhat surprised.

Sakura smiled, "Of course, It would be nice to spend some time with Neji and his family." Sakiko just about fainted on the spot.

"NEJI? Since when were you going to tell me about this Neji. Oh Kami! I'm sure your father is rolling in his grave as we speak! I knew I shouldn't have agreed to let you go to that Garden Party. I just knew it!" As Sakiko started to go into hysterics, the Hyuuga elder quickly said her farewell and backed out of there as soon as possible.

Exasperated, Sakura closed the front door and headed for the kitchen for some breakfast, "Mom, I had to. Tsunade-sama requested it. Besides we only just started to date. It's really no big deal." Sakiko grabbed the invitation and waved it under Sakura's nose.

"No big deal? No big deal," Sakiko's voice started to rise in pitch, "You're only fifteen. How do you know it's no big deal?"

Sakura munched on her bowl of cereal, "Because Neji would have mentioned something last night."

The pinkette paused for a moment to think, "Wouldn't he?"

Back at the Hyuuga estate, Neji sat stock still as he leaned over the breakfast table. His wide pearl-eyes were staring at the bowl before him and rice fell out of his gaping mouth.

Hanabi started to worry. She snapped her fingers in front of Neji's eyes several times with no response, "Nee-san, Didn't you hear me? Haruno Sakura was invited for tonight's dinner."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Noon rolled around with Sakura and Ino sitting at Ichiraku's Ramen Bar as they enjoyed some diet noodles for lunch.

"And my mom was freaking out like a madwoman," complained Sakura, "So we're both going to the Hyuuga estate for dinner, but only after I promised the moon that it was just a family get together. I don't understand what there is to get so worked up about it."

Ino shrugged, "Beats me. This was the first year I went to the Garden Party too and I didn't receive any dinner invitations."

"Yeah," said Sakura, "Speaking of which, I know you went to the party, but I hardly saw you at all."

Getting nervous, Ino glanced at her watch, "Oh, look at the time. Shouldn't we be heading to Kana-chan's house?" Sakura smirked at the blonde girl and shook her head.

"What the great chatterbox of Konoha actually wants to stop a conversation? Hell must have frozen over OR ...Someone had a little tetè a tetè with a boy!" The pinkette's green eyes lit up as she realized what Ino had been trying to hide.

"Ooh, I'm right! I'm right! Uh huh," Sakura sang out while pointing at her slumping friend.

"Shhhh," Ino gave Sakura a punch in the arm, "We don't want this getting out."

Sakura grinned widely, "So you met your secret lover and?"

Ino sighed dreamily as she laid her chin in one hand, "And he kisses like heaven."

"Hmmm, really. Well, I'm sure they're not as passionate as my Neji-kun's kisses." Sakura wiggle her eyebrows and waited for Ino's squeal of delight.

"Oh, Sakura," Ino gave the pinkette a big hug, "I'm so proud of you, I could burst. Swapping spit with that stuck up Hyuuga! I knew you could thaw out the walking ice cube."

Sakura giggled as she pulled away from the bubbling blonde, "Come on, let's get going before we're actually late for training."

It was not long before Sakura and Ino made it to Kana's training session. Once inside the dojo, Sakura and Ino explained the new training regiment.

Kana looked back and forth between her two senseis, "So let me get this straight. I am going to be sparring against the both of you?" Both girls nodded.

"So how the he- uh I mean so how am I supposed to do that," the girl crossed her arms and glared at her teachers. Both girls were flashbacked for a moment to see a tiny replica of Sasuke from their old ninja academy days, staring at them with the same quiet fury.

Sakura shook the ghost from her head, "Just attack one of us and we'll adjust accordingly." She and Ino immediately went into their fighting stances and waited for Kana.

She in turn, opened up her Sharingan eyes and sighed, "Here goes." Raising her kunai, she ran at Ino first trying to slice at the blonde's stomach. Ino deftly avoided the edge then dipped to the ground and tried giving Kana a kick to the shins.

Kana jumped back in time, but landed somewhat unbalanced, Ino quickly took advantage and sent the girl flying into the wall.

"Ow," Kana shook her head to straighten out her vision, "Okay, let's try that again."

This time Kana attacked Sakura, who stopped the girl's kunai with one hand and blocked a kick to the head with the other one. Sitting back to watch, Ino had to admit the little girl was tenacious.

Outside, Izumo and Kotetsu were walking up to the front gates. They could hear the grunts and shouts coming from the dojo in the backyard. Slipping through one side of the house, they peaked inside the dojo to see how the training was going. Kana was starting to look worn out, but still kept attacking either Sakura or Ino.

"Keep your eyes ahead," instructed Ino, "And don't you lose your focus." Kana nodded as she wiped sweat off her brow then dove again at her sensei.

The two chunin turned around and made their way to the front yard, "Well, it looks like lessons are going okay," said Kotetsu, "We should head back to the Hokage Tower."

Izumo ran his fingers through his dark bangs, "Um, I don't know. Maybe we should ask Kana's mother how things have been going?"

Kotetsu smirked at his best friend, "Yeah, right! It's a bit late for that good night kiss, loverboy."

"I'm just saying, we could get another opinion. You know, for a more thorough report." Izumo peered with one eye from behind his hair, hoping Kotetsu bought it.

"A thorough report," shaking his head in pity, Kotetsu sighed, "Fine then. Just be on your best behavior, bud!"

After cleaning up the lunchtime mess, Mitsu figured cookies would be a great treat for after Kana's workout. From what she could see through the windows, the Sakura and Ino were working her hard. Mitsu then turned up the radio as a good song rumble through the kitchen.

_Bounce wit it, drop wit it  
Lean wit it, rock wit it  
Snap wit it  
All my ladies pop yo backs wit it _

She never heard the chunin knocking on the front door. Noticing the sudden loud music coming from inside, Izumo gently pushed the front door open. Mitsu happily bopped across the floor while pulling out the flour, sugar, baking powder from the pantry, oblivious to her unexpected guests entering the house .

"Hmmm, chocolate chips...where are the chocolate chips. I know I just saw it here this morning! Ah-ha!" She laid out her ingredients on the kitchen counter then rocked her hips to the beat.

Then she headed for the fridge, slowly strutting and snapping her fingers over her head. Just as she leaned down into the refridgerator, Izumo and Kotetsu came walking down the hall. Izumo rounded the corner first to see Mitsu bent over and bouncing her rear in the air to the loud beat. Her low shorts betrayed the edge of a red bikini underwear peaking out. She backed out with the butter, vanilla extract, and eggs in her arms, not once turning around. As she chopped up the butter, the burgandy beauty gyrated her hips in circles. After the butter was in the bowl, she picked up the eggs. She juggled them in the air, catching each, then smoothly breaking the yolks into the bowl.

_U know da world be rockin' to it to it  
So do it do it do it to it_

Kotetsu looked over Izumo's shoulder, wondering why his teamate was rooted to the floor. Seeing Mitsu's risque dancing, Kotetsu was about to speak up, but Izumo slammed his hand over his best friend's mouth. The dark-haired nin shook his head and raised a finger to his lips. Rolling his eyes, Kotetsu waited for Izumo to remove his hand. The two of them watched Mitsu jam to the music while stirring the cookie dough. She leaned to the left as she rolled her shoulders and the rest of her body followed in a slow wave down to her twisting right ankle. She lifted the wooden spoon and sang into it like a mic.

_All my fellas tip yo hats wit it  
Do it do it do it do it  
_

Both sets of brown eyes popped, when Mitsu pulled the stirring spoon closer and seductively licked the cookie dough off. Once the wooden spoon was clean, she threw it perfectly into the sink on the far side of the room. Mitsu had turned around to get a couple spoons from the dishwasher, when she saw the two leering chunin.

"Aaack," she tripped on her once lithe feet and slipped backwards, landing flat on her back.

"Fuckin' hell," Mitsu screamed to the ceiling. What was it about today. For the second time, she had been caught in an embarrassing situation. Mitsu pushed herself up on her elbows then gave Izumo and Kotetsu an angry glare.

The laughing chunin walked up and stretched their hands to help her up, "How long have you guys been there," she demanded as they pulled her up.

Kotetsu cleared his throat, "About a minute before the ah... ahem, spoon thingy." He blushed harder while a grinning Izumo gave Mitsu a wink.

"Ero-Chunin," Mitsu gave each a hard slap to their arms before turning down the radio, "Well, you two are about twenty minutes away from some chocolate chip cookies. Go ahead and take a seat." The chunin sat at the kitchen table to wait for Mitsu to finish the cookies.

As she continued spooning the dough onto the cookie sheet, Mitsu gave her guests a sidelong glance, "So what's up? Does the Hokage need to talk with Kana?"

"Actually, the Hokage wants to know how Kana's training is going," said Izumo while he openly admired Mitsu's legs in her jean shorts. Trying to catch a glimpse of that red bikini, he stretched in his chair as Mitsu bent to slide the cookie sheet into the oven. Kotetsu kicked his friend's knee and narrowed his eyes warningly.

Mitsu took a seat on the other end of the table and sighed, "Well, the senseis are good at what they do, but it seems like they get sidetracked easily. I.E. Boys! We happen to live right smack dab in between Sakura's and Ino's beaus.

Kotetsu looked out the sliding glass door to the dojo, "Really? They seem to be doing quite well right now."

"That's a relief," sighed Mitsu, "Maybe having them together adds enough self-control to concentrate." Izumo and Kotetsu smirked as they remembered that same phrase being applied to them when they were genin.

An insistent knocking on the door pulled Mitsu away, leaving Izumo and Kotetsu to talk among themselves.

"There's your thorough report," said Kotetsu, "We should head out now."

"How about after the cookies," Izumo bargained. The dark-haired nin tried to keep a poker face, but had a merry twinkle in his eye.

His teamate frowned, "You're pathetic. You know that, right." They looked up when Mitsu returned with Shizune behind her.

"Hello," Shizune waved as she passed the two chunin, "Don't mind me. Just passing through." The medic nin walked through the sliding glass door and headed for the dojo.

Answering the questioning looks on the mens' faces, Mitsu gestured to the dojo as she checked the cookies in the oven, "Apparently, Sakura is needed elsewhere. I just hope Kana will be fine with just Ino." In a few minutes, Sakura and Shizune came from the backyard.

"Sorry for leaving so early, Mitsu-san," apologized Sakura, "But Hokage-sama needs me to unlock a scroll."

Mitsu shrugged as she saw Sakura and Shizune to the door, "Don't worry about it, Sakura. See you next time."

As she tried to close the door, Mitsu was surprised to see Kotetsu coming up behind her, "Actually Mitsu-san, I need to give our report to the Hokage. See you around." He gave a quick salute as he disappeared through the door. A little confused at Kotetsu's abrupt departure, she barely heard a small voice trying to point out that something was wrong with this picture.

'Where did Izumo go?'

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Ino sighed as Sakura left the dojo, "I guess that just leaves you and me." The eight year old sat down on the mat to take a short break. She had yet to score even one hit on either sensei and to tell the truth, it was getting damn frustrating.

Ino gave Kana an encouraging smile, "You're doing great. How about we go from offensive to defensive . I'll start with one of my slowest attacks." Kana took a few more cleansing breaths before standing up again.

Ino walked to the other side of the dojo and knelt on the padding, "Okay...," the blonde rasied her hands to set her jutsu, "Mind-Body Disturbance Technique!" Running to and fro in the dojo, Kana's sharingan eyes caught the split-second release and just slipped out of Ino's range.

"Good job! Now again," Ino kept throwing different Mind-Body jutsus at Kana faster and faster.

Kana was keeping up until she lost her footing on some sweat that had lined a part of the mat, "Whoah!" Ino's jutsu hit the girl like rush of wind then Kana felt her mind go blank.

Ino's body dropped on the floor and Kana fell onto her knees. Ino-Kana woke up to see her body lying across the dojo floor.

"Damn! Well, now what?" Kana must have been getting really tired for her to be overtaken so easily. Ino-Kana got up from the floor and stretched the little girl's body.

She then walked across the dojo and rearranged her body in a better position, "Hmmm, since I'm here. I've always wondered." Ino-Kana closed her eyes and activated her Sharingan. She looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Hmph, this is boring," Ino-Kana wandered outside and looked longingly over to the Aburame wall, "I wonder what Shino is up to?" She placed a hand on the wall wishing she had byakugan. Just to see if he was there.

'But then', Ino-Kana raised an eyebrow, 'I may not need it.' Ino-Kana checked to see if anyone was watching and snuck out the yard and into the street.

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Mitsu walked into the kitchen to find Izumo pulling the cookies out of the oven. His chunin vest was resting on the kitchen table. Mitsu froze as she saw hints of Izumo's strong arms and nice derrier hiding under that green uniform. It occurred to her that it was the first time they had been alone since Izumo escorted her home. Mitsu was so busy enjoying the view, she never noticed Ino in Kana's body sneaking out the dojo and past the house.

'Wow, he's got a nice ass.' Mitsu's hand automatically slapped her cheek, waking her from the trance.

"Damn," she whispered to herself, "I'm turning into one of them." She hurried to stand beside Izumo.

Mitsu pulled out a spatula and started fanning the cookies, "Perfect timing. Thanks, Izumo-kun." He put down the oven mitt and smiled.

"You're welcome. Just wanted to help," He took a deep breath of the warm sweet scent in the air, "I love cookies."

"So I've heard," the words were out of her mouth before her brain caught up, "Umm. I mean who doesn't love cookies. Heh, heh?" Mitsu could feel her cheeks flare up in a blush.

Izumo smirked as he leaned against the kitchen counter to enjoy Mitsu's blush, 'Oh what I wouldn't give to be inside your mind right now.' Of course, Kotetsu would have said something along the lines of it wasn't Mitsu's mind that Izumo wanted inside.

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Smiling brightly, Ino-Kana tried to remember what it was like to be eight years old again, "La, la, la-la," she sang while skipping to the Aburame gate.

Ino-Kana beamed at the curious guards down at her, "Hello Aburame-sama! Is Shino-kun home?" She lifted a finger to her pouting mouth and opened her onyx eyes in wide-eyed wonderment.

"Shino-kun?" The guard was taken aback for a moment, "Um, I do believe Shino-san is here, Kana-san, but..." The little girl giggled happily and took off running inside the compound before the guards could stop her.

The other man watched Kana skip past the houses, "It looks like Shino-san has a cute little admirer crushing on him." Both men chuckled as Ino-Kana made her way to the Main house

Once out of the guards' eye sight, Ino-Kana let out a sigh of relief. She walked up the garden path to Shino's house and looked around the yard. It was pretty quiet except for the occasional birdsong.

She risked a peak through the front door to find no one in the hall or living room, "Hmmm," she murmured, "Maybe in the backyard?" She backed up and tiptoed along the wrap-around porch.

Crawling past the house windows, Ino-Kana found the backyard just as still as the rest of the house. Off in a corner, surrounded by trees, was a rather large and ornate garden shed. Although looking isolated, it was kept in fantastic condition.

"A guest house, maybe?" She snuck under the low treelimbs and walked up to a window. The glass had been tinted, even with the shade provided by the trees. Ino could hear something shifting inside, but she could not figure out what was making that strange hum.

She went up to the door and gave a couple of soft knocks. The hum grew louder for a moment then died down. Really curious now, Ino turned the knob and opened up the door.

The room was dark of course, but the air was warm and wet. The little girl took a few steps inside and activated her Sharingan. She then saw them clear as day. Destruction Beetles...everywhere. All black and shiny, the beetles were swarming over each other in a sort of nest.

Now any normal girl would have ran screaming her head off, but Ino had studied Ikebana and naturally become familiar with the world of entomology. Ino-Kana leaned down on one knee as she noticed one beetle moving towards her.

She stretched out a hand to the beetle, which hopped onto her palm, "My aren't you a fine specimen."

Ino-Kana lifted the beetle to her eyes as she inspected the waving antena and it's dark fluttering wings. Underneath the black outter shells, Ino could just make out the translucent flight wings. She was so intent on her inspection, Ino-Kana failed to see a few more beetles making their way to her. It was not until she felt ripples of tickles along her ankles and shoulders, did she see the beetles crawling up her body. That slight feeling of worry opened up some of Ino's control of Kana, allowing the eight year old's mind to register what was actually happening.

"B-B-B-BUUUUUUGS!" Ino's mind was sent careening back into her body lying in the dojo.

Meanwhile, Kana ran out of the beetle nursery, screaming at the top of her lungs. Shibi looked up from his desk as he heard high pitched shrieking then saw a dark haired little girl streaking past his office window.

"What the hell?"

Shino shouted from the shower, "What was that, Dad?"

"Looks like the next-door neighbor girl," replied Shibi.

Still covered in beetles, Kana sprinted for the Aburame gate, where the surprised guards watched the panicking little girl circle around in hysterics.

"EW! EW! GROSS! EW! EW! BUGS! EWWW!" Thankfully the beetles knew how to safely cling to a distraught person. All the while, the guards thoughtfully observed Kana going berserk.

"Isn't that Kana-san?"

"Yup."

"Doesn't she have a crush on Shino-san?"

"Yup."

"Think it'll last?"

"Nope."

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Back in the kitchen, Mitsu was getting so flustered from Izumo's proximity, she forgot to put an oven mitt on before trying to remove any cookies, "Shit!" The spatula in her right hand dropped on the floor.

"Son of a bitch," she hissed as she grabbed her left hand and headed for the faucet.

A worried Izumo followed and looked over her shoulder, "Here let me help." He pulled her hand out of the stream of cold water. Mitsu watched Izumo draw her palm up to his lips. He gently blew on the stinging mark, sending delicious chills throughout her arm.

'I'm dreaming. I must be,' Mitsu could hardy believe this was happening. Another stream of his breath made her gasp, bringing Izumo's brown eyes to look straight into hers. He continued to exhale onto her palm, all the while studying her every reaction.

Her red pupils flickered every which way as she nervously licked her lips. He could tell that Mitsu was trying to control herself, but her body kept sending out all the right signals to Izumo. Smirking to himself, he decided to take it to the next level. Mitsu trembled as Izumo's tongue brushed a fingertip, followed by a puff of cool air.

'If he keeps this up, he'll see how my ...Oh Kami!' She could feel her stomach tighten with each touch. It did not even occur to her that Izumo had moved from the last finger on her burned hand to her undamaged fingers.

Izumo was loving every response Mitsu was giving him. He watched her eyelids flutter shut and her breathing deepen. He especially enjoyed observing her chest heave with each breath. Once both her hands had been attended to, Izumo reached for Mitsu's waist and pulled her to him. Her eyes snapped open, revealing to Izumo the actual difference between her and Kurenai's red eyes. The various shades of her ruby iris had become mottled in tiny swirls and were moving ever so slowly around her dark blood-red pupil.

A small smirk curled on Izumo's lips as he watched the swirls move faster when he caressed her cheek. He wondered what would happened if he kissed her. The chunin lifted her chin and leaned into her soft lips, all the while keeping his eyes open. Mitsu's crimson orbs widened for a second then her lids slid down to small slits.

Izumo tried to watch the red clouds storm around her pupils, but found himself giving into the kiss. She tasted sweet like chocolate. His eyes closed as he pressed further into her body. She opened up her lips without him even trying to pry them open. Her arms snaked around Izumo's neck while his hands explored the curves of her hips. Their kiss deepened with their tongues stroking each other in a passionate rhythm. Mitsu could feel Izumo slide up her blouse and rub the smooth skin underneath. Damn, this beat the hell out of any dream!

As Mitsu and Izumo's kissing became more heated, the same thought ran through both their minds, 'By all the heavens, please do not let any...'

"MITSU-SAN," Ino's voice carried from the backyard and through the kitchen windows.

"FUCK!" shouted Izumo and Mitsu as tore apart from each other. They took a step back to get their bearings, all the while breathing hard from lack of air. Mitsu took a tentative step forward only to stumble into the kitchen counter. Luckily, Izumo caught her before she fell backwards.

She rubbed her eyes until the swirls calmed down, "Damn bloodline limit."

Ino came running through the sliding glass door and ran to the kitchen. She was momentarily stunned to see Mitsu in Izumo's arms, both looking rather disheveled. Izumo's hair was mussed and Mitsu's blouse had been pushed up her torso.

"Oops," Ino turned around while Mitsu quickly pulled down her blouse, "Gomenasai, Mitsu-san, but Kana-chan needs help."

Forgetting about their broken romantic interlude, Mitsu and Izumo both shouted, "Where is she?" Ino pointed towards the Aburame neighbors. All three of them went running into the street, to find a beetle-covered Kana running around in circles in front of the Aburame guards.

Kana screamed out one last, "BUUU-UUUGS," then fell flat on her back, completely passed out. Mitsu tiptoed up to Kana's still twitching form. The beetles had calmly crawled off the little girl and now were milling about on the ground.

Izumo blew a sigh of relief then bent to pick up Kana, "She looks fine, but we better take her to the hospital just to be sure." Mitsu nodded as she ran a hand through her daughter's hair.

Feeling horrible, Ino waved good bye as the three of them headed down the road. A familiar tickling brought her attention to her feet to see the beetles had crawled up her ankles.

"Aww poor things," cooed Ino, "That must have freaked you out too. I hope Shino-kun doesn't get upset when he finds out." She carefully placed all the beetles on a safe place on her arms or shoulders. Then the young blonde was about to head back to the nursery when she bumped into a tall figure.

Shibi scrutized the beetle-carrying girl as she fidgeted nervously in front of him, "Hello Yamanaka Ino... I believe we need to have a talk."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

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Shizune flared a med flashlight into Kana's eyes, "Well, she may have been a little shaken up, but Kana-chan looks healthy as a horse."

"Stupid bugs..." mumbled the midnight haired girl, "What kind of sensei does that to her students." All three adults broke out into huge grins.

"You'd be surprised, Kana," Izumo gave her a pat on the back and helped her off the exam table.

Mitsu smiled as Kana and Izumo walked out the room, hand in hand, "Arigato, Shizune-san. Sorry for taking up your time."

"No problem," the brunette waved good bye as Mitsu left to catch up with the other two.

From her office window, The Hokage watched the three of them walk past, "It looks like Kakashi is taking over sooner than I thought. Kotetsu!"

The Chuunin's head appeared from the mountain of paperwork piled on top of the secretary's desk, "Hai Hokage-sama?"

"Tell Hatake Kakashi that training Uchiha Kana begins tomorrow."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," a relieved Kotetsu blurred away.

Energized from her short nap, Kana flit from one shop window to the next, "Hmm, that sword looks wicked. Hey Mom, can I buy it?"

"No."

Kana jumped to the next window, "Oooh oooh, A puppy!"

"No."

"How about-"

"No."

Kana back at her mother thoroughly annoyed, "I didn't even say what it was? I could've been asking for broccoli for dinner."

"Then I would have said Definitely Not!" Izumo chuckled as he listened to them argue. Strolling along side them, he openly appraised Mitsu, who immediately felt his eyes on her. She of course, replied with a mischievous smile.

As Kana ran ahead, Izumo and Mitsu began to slow down. They kept a leisurely pace, but kept Kana well in sight. Occasionally, they would slightly bump their shoulders together or walk past people as an excuse to touch. Mitsu loved how Izumo's hand would lightly brush her own, sending little thrills up and down her spine. At one point, she shyly watched him then blushed when he gave her a wink with his visible eye.

Now none of this was really lost on Kana. A future kunoichi should notice these sort of things. She sped ahead of them then patiently waited at the front door as they walked up.

"Well, it's about time," Kana ignored their suspicious looks, as they wondered about a double meaning. She immediately grabbed the keys from her mother's hand and opened up the door.

Then Kana turned around, blocking their path, and raised her voice, "I'm going to go clean up the dojo, now," Kana turned her back a little and secretly gave Izumo a thumbs up, "I may be quite some time." Then took off running through the sliding glass door.

Closing the door after them, Mitsu stared after her daughter in disbelief, "What was that? _Who_ was...mmmph?!" The moment Kana had disappeared into the dojo, Izumo pulled Mitsu into his arms for a long and passionate kiss. Mitsu's surprised squeak soon turned into a soft mew.

With a satisfied smirk, Izumo moved his lips to nip and suck along her throat.

'He certainly doesn't waste any time,' she thought. Revealing in the kisses, she buried her hands in his dark locks then raised a leg to wrap around his waist. A growl emerged from Izumo as he felt Mitsu's leg press their lower bodies together.

'Oh that little minx,' he grabbed her thighs and lifted her up to completely straddle him. She attacked Izumo's lips and took over the kiss as he leaned her back on the front door. Mitsu then let out a moan when she felt his hands give her ass a squeeze.

Right outside the gate, Kotetsu was wandering into the courtyard, "I'm sure he's had enough 'Quality Time' with Mitsu-san. Kami knows I need help with all that damn paperwork."

Mitsu's now extra sensitive hearing picked up footsteps from outside, but became distracted when Izumo turned his attention to Mitsu's button-down blouse. Peering from behind his bangs, Izumo kept his brown eyes on her swirling rubies, he used his teeth to unhook each button, alternating with his tongue to lick the exposed skin.

'Whoever the fuck is outside will have to go the hell away!' Mitsu forced her eyes to focus on Izumo, while the rest of the world disappeared into a stormy red haze. She could not hold back a loud gasp when Izumo nuzzled aside the lace cup and took her nipple into his mouth. When Izumo intensified his ministrations, Mitsu's hands slammed on the door, her nails scratching the wood as she tried to get herself under control.

Kotetsu casually strode up to the front door and was about to knock on it when the door _knocked_ at him. In fact it thumped, rattled, and moaned at him. He leaned his ear onto the wood and could definitely hear some heavy breathing. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he slowly turned the doorknob and gave it a shove. He was rewarded with two bodies being pressed into the wall.

A surprised voice that sounded like Izumo gave a muffled, "Humurph?"

At the same time someone's head knocked into a hard surface, "OW!"

Kotetsu peeked around the door to find his teammate giving him a death glare, while trying to sooth his lover's forehead, "Gomen, was I interrupting something?" The blue-haired nin tried to fake his innocence, but had trouble hiding his smirk.

"Kotetsu-teme," snarled Izumo.

Blushing ten shades of red, Mitsu quickly corrected her bra and buttoned up as fast as she could, "Kotetsu-san? Oh uh, Hi!" Once she could see again, she turned away from Izumo's arms and smoothed her lopsided blouse. Kotetsu's eyebrows flew up when he caught a glimpse of her white lacy bra as she stretched her top down.

"What an unexpected surprise, Kotetsu-san," Mitsu nervously bit her lower lip as she tried to think of something to diffuse the situation, "Gee ahhh umm... WANT A COOKIE?"

Wincing, she took off for the kitchen all the while muttering to herself, "Baka, baka, baka, baka..."

Izumo fists twitched to send his best friend flying into the wall, "You are so dead! First chance I get, I'm gonna kick your ass all the way to Suna!"

"Ah, but Izumo," Kotetsu teased his sexually frustrated friend, "Wouldn't you like a cookie with your nookie?"

Mitsu returned with a plate full of cookies to find a severely pissed off Izumo holding his smirking teammate in the air, "Izumo-kun?"

Kotetsu pried Izumo's hand from his shirt and landed safely on the ground, "So sorry to take Izumo away, but I'm afraid he still has to report to the Hokage. Ooo, arigato, Mitsu-san. These look good." He happily took a cookie, turned to his friend, and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. He was already half-way out the door, as Izumo lifted a threatening fist.

"Gomenasai, Mitsu-chan," sighed Izumo as he gently touched her cheek, "I really do need to get back to work."

Placing a chocolate chip cookie in his hand, Mitsu moved in closer to brush her lips against his, "I know, Izumo-kun. Don't worry about it." Izumo caught her lips with his and both promptly lost all train of thought. They would have stood there all day if Kotetsu had not pelted Izumo's head with a half eaten cookie.

"Arrgh! Get your ass back here, bastard," Izumo ran after his friend as a snickering Kotetsu blurred away. Mitsu chuckled as she closed the door to get ready for tonight's dinner with the Hyuugas.

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Shibi led Ino into the Main house and directed her to a seat in the living room. She sat down and nervously looked around the room, trying not to crack under the Aburame leader's gaze. Ino jumped when she heard Shino's voice travel down the hall.

"Hey Dad! Did you find out what all that noise was," Shino came walking into the living room, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His thick bushy hair was soaked, weighing it down to his shoulders. Ino would have erupted into a spontaneous nose bleed if Shibi had not been in the room.

She did give a soft little whimper as she voraciously chewed her lower lip. The beetles perched on her body immediately started twitching and gently humming as they detected her hormones skyrocket. Shibi coughed to cover his surprised laughter. The girl might as well have had that nose bleed.

Hearing his beetles hum, Shino looked behind his father to find Ino sitting on the couch. The beetle-covered girl was blushing furiously as she gave him a small wave.

"Oh Ino...," Shino sighed disappointedly then he turned to see his father frown angrily.

"Shino, were you trying to keep this from me?" Shino's wincing and shuffling feet answered Shibi better than any excuse his son was stammering out.

"Go get dressed, Shino. Ino and I will wait here for you... and have a nice chat." The young bug master nodded helplessly and went to go find some clothes.

Shibi turned back to Ino and gave her a smile, "Well, my dear, I see that you're already quite comfortable with the Destruction Beetles. That's good. Not very many young ladies can handle being around insects."

"Hai, Aburame-sama. My parents' livelihood depends on these helpful little guys. So bugs don't scare me very much."

Shibi nodded his agreement, "You are part of a shinobi family so there's a lot of issues I don't have to explain. You should already be familiar with the responsibilities and sacrifices of a clan leader's wife."

Ino stuttered as she heard Shibi's wife comment, "W-wife? Don't you think that's a bit early to be thinking about that?"

Shibi sighed sadly at her, but he pressed on, "It seems that my son's beetles seem to already have an attachment to you." She blinked in confusion then held up a beetle in one hand. The beetle crawled to the tip of her longest finger in its attempt to get closer to her lips.

"I guess so," Ino whispered.

Shibi picked up the amorous beetle and directed it to return to its nursery, "I don't think you want that, Ino." He then sent a silent command to the other beetles to follow the first.

"I don't understand, Aburame-sama."

"Ino, you and Shino are teenagers caught in the throws of first loves. For just about any other clan, this is normal and a small issue, but not the Aburame clan. A bug master and his beetles are closely tied together. The beetles keep his mind objective in a mission, but his beetles are affected by him as well. If he feels a strong emotion, so do the beetles."

The young blond tilted her head, "I'm still confused, Aburame-sama. I don't mind, Shino's beetles at all."

"Not now," said Shibi, "But as time goes on, his beetles might become more than attached to you. Possessive, in fact. What if your relationship falls apart? Shino can do his best to keep his emotions under control, but heartbreak is a volatile situation. You might not like your next boyfriend to find himself hunted down by chakra devouring beetles. Or worse case scenario, it could be you getting harassed by the very same beetles, who adore you now."

Ino's blue eyes widened as she realized what it actually meant to date an Aburame bug master, "I see..."

Shino then came into the room. He was in such a hurry, he had only found a shirt and slacks. The wet locks were dampening his shoulder and Ino was subconsciously licking her lips as she took in her moist beau.

'I don't know,' she thought, 'He might be worth it.'

The young Aburame sat next to her on the couch and took her hands in his. He saw the frightened look in her eyes only a moment before and wondered how much his father told her.

"Ino, are you alright?" She nodded too much, trying to reassure him.

Shino's face fell as he looked into her baby blues, 'He told her'.

"Gomen, Ino. I had no intention of scaring you."

"Whose scared? No one's scared!"

She winced inwardly at her nervous outburst, "I mean, I'm a little shaken, but I think I only need some time to figure things out." The young man nodded and kissed both her hands. Ino smiled lovingly at him as she felt the same thrill from the night before.

"I better get going now," the blond sighed as she stood up, "I'll see you tomorrow, Shino?" The Aburames stood up as well to see her to the door.

"Sure, Ino. I'll see you tomorrow." Shibi and Shino watched the beautiful girl make her way to the front gates.

"I wouldn't be so worried, Shino," Shibi turned to his son, "She had a better reaction to 'The Talk' than your mother."

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Sakura and Sakiko made it to the Hyuuga Estate a little early, but from the way they kept arguing outside the gates, the Harunos were going to end up late.

"You don't understand, Sakura. I've heard rumors about these After Garden Party dinner invites," Sakiko grabbed her daughter's hands and held them up, "You're too young to be ma-ha-ha-arried..." Sakiko embraced her baby girl and started sobbing.

"Could you just trust me, Mom," the pinkette gave her mother a reassuring pat on the back, "It's just ridiculous that the Hyuugas would do something so archaic!"

The Hyuuga guards were feeling somewhat disconcerted. This was the second time this week that outsiders refused to fear their best scowls.

"Goodness," came a voice behind the Harunos, "So much waterworks!"

"Mitsu-san! Kana-chan!" Sakura waved to the smiling woman and her daughter.

"Mom, this is who I was telling you about. Mitsu-san and Kana-chan, this is my mother, Haruno Sakiko." Mitsu saw so much of Sakiko in Sakura's face including the pink hair. Although Sakiko's hair had a darken pink shade and had one gray streak, but it only made her look more distinguished.

"Good evening, Haruno-sama," Mitsu bowed to Sakiko, "So nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise, Mitsu-san, but please no formalities here. Sakiko is just fine."

Kana looked around and noticed the lack of other guests, "So ah, where is everyone else? Aren't there usually more people invited to these dinner shindigs?"

Sakiko searched the courtyard as well, "Good point, dear..." All the ladies looked around the quiet courtyard thoroughly ignoring the chagrined guards.

Sakura's mother noticed that Mitsu was quite relaxed, "So you were invited to the Hyuuga dinner as well?"

"Hai," Mitsu shrugged, "They took such good care of us last night, I didn't want to offend them. I figured it was just their way of extending friendship. To be neighborly, I guess."

Mitsu chuckled, "I mean Hiashi-sama would have mentioned something this morning," she paused as she gave this morning's incident a bit more thought, "Right?"

"Yeah," echoed Sakura softly, suddenly feeling a little unsure as well.

'Something's not adding up right,' said her inner self, 'If this was a Get-to-Know-Neji's-Girlfriend dinner then why was Mitsu-san and Kana-chan invited?'

"Good evening, ladies," said a voice from the other side of the courtyard, "I am Hyuuga Shoda. Everyone is waiting inside. So if you don't mind following me."

Sakiko gave the Hyuuga elder a glare, but complied nonetheless. The others followed suit, but Sakura and Mitsu were beginning to feel uneasy.

Shoda led the four of them down the hall and opened up a sliding door to reveal a large dining room. It looked like about half of the clan had gathered at an incredibly long low table.

"Hoo boy," whispered Kana as her dining etiquette lessons abandoned her. The sight of so many pearl-eyed Hyuugas carefully observing their guests, made Mitsu and Sakura feel like heifers being sized up for the main course. Sakiko held her head high, refusing to let these white-eyed cradle robbing bastards see any fear.

With a sweep of his hand, Shoda showed the guests to their seats at the head of the table. Sakura and Sakiko were placed across from Neji and Hinata, while Kana sat across from Hanabi. Happy to see a friend, Sakura gave Hinata a quick little wave, who beamed in return. Then the pinkette gave her boyfriend a shy smile.

The young jounin's heart skipped a beat. Neji was so relieved to see Sakura. He expected to hear that she ran for the hills, but there she was sitting in front of him, wearing a lovely and _appropriate _red dress. For a moment, Neji dropped his stoic mask and gave Sakura a handsome smile that sent her heart racing.

Mitsu was directed to the chair on Hiashi's right on beside Kana, "Good evening, Hiashi-sama," she murmured. The burgundy beauty glanced at the princely Hyuuga clan leader, expecting a cold and harsh demeanor that Mitsu experienced so many times with the gate guards.

Instead, she found Hiashi looking at her with a gentle expression and his pearl orbs warmly greeted her, "Good evening, Mitsu-san." Feeling a blush grow, Mitsu quickly averting her gaze then subconsciously tucked a loose hair strand from her hair bun to behind her ear.

Seeing Mitsu's reaction to Hiashi the rest of the Hyuugas let out the breath they had been holding. Perhaps all their planning had paid off. Finally, a beautiful wife worthy of their leader, who could actually grow to love her husband. Hiashi turned and nodded to Shoda, who was waiting on the sidelines.

Shoda bowed and announced, "Dinner is served." He waved the line of servants to bring in the many platters of food.

Once Hiashi started filling his plate, everyone in the room began their dinner. It was as if the tension immediately broke and the room filled up with useless chatter.

Kana's eyes lit up to see the piles of beef, pork, and chicken dishes set before her. Before the girl finished saying "Itadakimasu", her hands were itching for a serving ladle. Mitsu's hand gently intercepted her daughter's.

"Allow me, Kana-chan," she whispered to the pouting girl. Disparing, Kana watched her plate slowly filled with healthy, nutritious, and tasteless dishes. She gave a small moan seeing only one harumaki put on her plate.

"Aw, Mom," whined Kana, "Do I have to eat the edamame." She picked at the green beans with her chopsticks.

Mitsu shrugged, "We could always ask if they have steamed broccoli." Hiashi smiled to see the little girl stuff her mouth with the beans.

Sakiko leaned over to Sakura, who kept blushing whenever she and Neji exchanged glances, "You wanted to spend some time with him. Stop being shy and talk to the boy."

"Mom," whispered Sakura then she looked across to Neji, who was now sipping his miso, "So Neji-kun, how was your day?"

A thousand words thundered through his head about how he nearly had a mental breakdown. Several training dummies, posts, and Lee suffered quite a bit of damage, as throughout the day he wrap his mind around marrying Sakura.

The jounin took a moment to filter his frantic thoughts, "Busy with training. And yours?"

Sakura sighed, "Tsunade-sama assigned me to unlock that scroll found at Sasuke's campsite. That thing had six traps and two locks randomly layered. Poor Shizune-san's hair got singed trying to deactivate it. If you read one symbol wrong, it set off another set of seals, forcing you to start all over. Sneaky bastard."

The entire clan listened in on the exchange. All were impressed at how such a young kunoichi could decipher a complex problem, but they were ecstatic to hear the "Kun" transfered from the Uchiha traitor to their own Neji.

Trying to make conversation as well, Mitsu turned to Hiashi, "You were quite spent this morning, Hiashi-sama. Were you able to get plenty of rest today?" She was startled to see Hiashi blush then slightly choke on his green tea.

'Did I say something wrong?'

Mitsu reached around to give him a pat on the back, "Are you alright?" Hiashi nodded to reassure her, but he noticed the clan elders smirking into their cups. Apparently Hiashi's bedsheets had to be replaced twice today and with such a tight knit family, gossip traveled fast.

"I'm fine, Mitsu-san. Arigato. Are you enjoying you're meal?"

Mitsu smiled, "Oh yes. The food is absolutely wonderful. Even Kana is eating her vegetables and that's saying a lot!" Kana rolled her eyes as she continued eating her tofu stir fry.

"Don't worry, Kana-san," said Hiashi, "A little bird told me that you like mango ice cream for dessert."

Hanabi gave the surprised Kana a shrug, "Just because I look like I'm not listening, doesn't mean I'm not." Kana rolled that phrase in her mind for a minute before grinning at her friend.

When the servants cleared the table, ice cream and jellies were presented in delicate little bowls. Kana was the only one with a larger bowl full of mango ice cream. The delighted look on the little girl's face was unmistakable. Someone was getting spoiled and she was not going to turn it down. Both chuckling, Hiashi and Mitsu watched the eight year old girl enthusiastically dig into her dessert.

At the other end of the table, an elder motioned for Shoda, who was sitting in a corner. He had been watching the two couples through the entire meal and the other elders were curious to his assessment.

"Well," asked an elderly woman, "Do you think we should make the proposal?" Shoda looked at Neji and Sakura happily conversing with Hinata about their comrades and past missions.

"The teenagers show a lot of promise. Her mother though," he pointed to the sour-looking Sakiko just fiddling with her dessert, "Might pose a problem."

The elders nodded understandingly, "What about Mitsu-san?"

Everyone had been on pins and needles when the woman walked through the door. For the past few years, the clan had been inviting kunoichi to their dinners and rarely would one accept. Those that did attend were immediately dismissed by Hiashi as gold diggers and wanted nothing to do with them.

This woman would be the very first Hiashi had shown actual interest. And this time, his gold digger excuse would no longer work. Mitsu was not hurting financially at all. From the Hokage's file, Mitsu's shinobi missions brought in plenty of money. Combined with the Uchiha Kana's inheritance, a union with Mitsu would only increase the Hyuuga fortune. Mostly, none of them would dare say it out loud, but they all shared the hope of a direct male heir. A prodigy in her own right, a still fertile Mitsu could give Hiashi a gifted son. For the first time ever, the Hyuuga clan felt like they were the beggars.

"Hiashi and Mitsu seem to have a certain level of comfort with one another, but not much evidence past friendship." He watched Mitsu and Hiashi share another laugh together.

Shoda shrugged, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I suggest using the logical persuasions as much as possible."

All the elders pulled back from their huddle, as one of them cleared his throat and stood up, "We would like to thank our guests for accepting our invitations. We hope the meal was to everyone's satisfaction."

Mitsu and Sakura smiled as they gave the elder happy nods. Even Sakiko nodded when she received an elbow in her ribs, courtesy of Sakura. Kana was too busy with her ice cream to register anything.

"Very well, to the business at hand...Haruno-san, I am sure you are very proud of your lovely daughter, Sakura. The first in your family to become a kunoichi and to rise among the medic-nin ranks as the Fifth Hokage's prize apprentice."

Sakiko smiled proudly for a second before raising an suspicious eyebrow, "Hai, Hyuuga-sama. I am very proud of my baby girl."

The elder cleared his throat nervously at Sakiko implied meaning, "And Mitsu-san. You also are a talented kunoichi, who became a jounin at the age of seventeen and is now a proud mother of Uchiha Kana."

Mitsu blinked in confusion at the compliments, but nodded as well, "Arigato, Hyuuga-sama."

"Then Mitsu-san and Sakura-san, we would be most honored for you to consider a union of your houses with the Hyuuga Clan." Everyone waited with baited breath as the guests digested this request.

"What? You want to buy our houses?" Kana's little forehead was scrunched up in thought.

Hanabi hung her head in disbelief, 'That's going to be my little sister?'

Sakura's inner self was actually dead silent for a moment before filling her mind with raucous laughter, 'Are you kidding me? What is this the stone age? Bring out the wood club now and go 'Ugh, Ugh'!'

Sakura started to giggle, "Oh I get it. This is some after dinner entertainment, like at the Yamanaka house."

Hiashi was ignoring everyone, except for Mitsu, whose ruby eyes were as wide as dinner plates and focused on some point on the table.

Sakiko, on the other hand, had turned beet red and was shaking with rage, "I knew it," she shrieked, "I knew it!" She jumped up from her seat and started waving a fist.

"Mother, please! Control yourself," a horrified Sakura placed her hands over her mother's shoulders, trying to placate the furious woman, "This is a joke right, Neji-kun." Sakura looked to her beau for some reassurance, but he had some difficulty keeping eye contact. Sakura was about ask him again when everyone heard a soft voice come from Mitsu's direction.

"Who," she said. All heads turned to the woman beside Hiashi.

She looked up to find everyone's attention on her. Mitsu cringed in embarrassment but clarified her question, "You never said who we were to marry. I assume that Sakura is to be matched with Neji, but..."

"MARRY," Kana finally caught up with the conversation, "Whoever said anything about marrying anyone?" Sakura's face drained of all blood as the situation hit home.

Mitsu turned to the freaked out little girl and patted her daughter's hand, "C-calm down, Kana-chan."

Half of Mitsu's mind was falling apart like Kana and Sakura, but the other half was already thinking of a way out. Whoever they were thinking of her to wed, she obviously knows nothing about. She had spent most of the Garden Party either in hiding or with Izumo. Mitsu had yet to meet a Hyuuga her age and that showed any interest in her. So she could just regretfully inform them that she could not possible consider marrying a complete stranger. Problem solved!

Hoping to get out of this alive, Mitsu looked up at the Hyuuga clan leader expecting him to give the name of a faceless man.

With amusement in his eyes, he leaned a little closer to the burgundy beauty, "I would be your husband, Mitsu-san." She suddenly went breathless. It was as if someone socked her in the gut and the wind was knocked out of her.

"Yes, Mitsu-san," confirmed the elder, "You and Kana-san would benefit the most from your marrying Hiashi-sama. We could offer twenty-four hour protection of the highest quality. Kana-san would receive additional training with top ranked shinobi and with our finances, your every need would be met to the best of our ability.

Mitsu's ears had long since tuned out the elder, because _both_ halfs of her mind were going ballistic, 'Got to tell him 'No'! There must be some way to tell him 'No'! How do I tell him 'No'? Come on, Mitsu! Just recite what you already had planned!'

Mitsu took a deep breath and turned to Hiashi. She looked him straight in the eye and froze as she took in his captivating face, "I... I..." Her mouth was moving but the words refused to come out.

'Why can't I do this,' she thought, 'What's wrong with me?' As her conscious mind completely freaked out, her subconscious took momentary control. The image of her loving husband, Keitaro, appeared before her eyes and melted into Hiashi's own visage. The same age difference, the same long dark hair, the same strong countenance that drew her to her first husband.

'Oh Kami, I'm in trouble.'

"I... I need some air," she finally stammered out. Hiashi stood up and offered his hand. Mitsu accepted it and let him lead her away from the crowded room.

In a few minutes, they arrived at a secluded botanical garden on the other side of the estate. Mitsu headed straight for a bench next to a blooming silk tree. Sitting down, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping to would calm the chaos ensuing in her brain.

Hiashi kept his distance at the edge of the garden, giving Mitsu a chance to relax. He watched her chakra turn from a violent churning into a slow smooth flow again.

She looked up to fully take in her surroundings. Mitsu felt Hiashi from behind and turned to him, "Gomenasai, Hiashi-sama. I hope your not offended by my little escape, but I needed some space to think."

"It's understandable, Mitsu-san," Hiashi started walking down the path, "My clan elders thought it would be best to catch you unaware of the situation."

Mitsu looked down at her feet, "I see. Well, then I must be truthful, Hiashi." She purposely dropped the honorific. This was the time when she needed to be in his good graces. He sat next to her on the bench and waited for her to finish.

"You are not the only one to express interest in courting me," she risked a quick glance at him, wondering how upset he would get.

He knew, of course. News of an entire building razed to the ground by five shinobi competing for a woman's affections, got around fast.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow, "I did not realize the Might Gai would actually be a serious threat to my advances."

"Hah," Releasing her tension, Mitsu broke out into a spontaneous laughter, "Good one!" Hiashi smiled when he saw her wipe a tear from her ruby eyes. He decided to alleviate some of her fears.

"Mitsu, I know there are others trying to gain your attention. I only wish to throw my bid on the table, so to speak." He reached up to a low hanging tree limb and plucked a flower.

"What my clan and I are offering are protection, training, and your _every_ need met to the best of _my_ ability," As he spoke the last few words, Hiashi traced the flower's soft petals lightly along her cheek, down her neck, and into her waiting hand.

"Despite how my clan may have arranged my proposal, do not mistake my intentions. This will not be a loveless marriage," Hiashi leaned low then softly and slowly kissed Mitsu.

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Back at the dining room, Sakura was doing her best to calm Sakiko. Neji had to admire the woman's resolve to protect her daughter. The clan must really be impressed with Sakura to put up being related to this spitfire.

"You're only fifteen. There's no way for you know if he is the right one for you," screamed Sakiko, "I don't care how much you're in love with him!"

"Mother," Sakura growled.

"Are you," asked Neji as he gazed at the pinkette pointedly.

Both Sakura and Sakiko stopped mid-rant, "Am I what?"

"Are y-you in l-love with Nii-san," clarified Hinata. Sakiko snorted at the very idea that Sakura could feel for the boy so soon.

Sakura paused. She needed to think... The pinkette sat back down and closed her eyes to block out everything and process the question. Soon she and her inner self came to a conclusion.

With her eyes still shut, Sakura spoke frankly, "I must admit it is a little early to be thinking about marriage..." Her mother crossed her arms and nodded triumphantly.

"But I've known Neji-kun for years now and I must say that," Everyone focused on her thoughtful face, "I have very strong feelings for him. And the thought of marrying him is appealing." She opened her emerald eyes to meet his pearl then smiled at her own revelation.

"WHA- WHAT," Sakiko gaped at her daughter, "Haruno Sakura, I expressly forbid- What are you doing?"

Neji had jumped up from his seat and walked over to Sakura, "Would you like to get some fresh air, Sakura?" The pinkette smiled as she took his hand. Both teens ignored her flabbergasted mother and his grinning relatives as they made their way to the rock garden for some privacy.

Scowling, Kana had to sit back and watch all this drama unfold before her, 'What about Izumo-kun? He's the one for, Mom! Not Hyuuga-sama! Izumo-kun would never ignore me like this!'

"This sucks," she crossed her arms and refused to touch what was left of her mango dessert, "Everyone seemed to forget about me."

"B-but Kana-chan," said Hinata, "A l-lot of this _is_ about y-you."

Hanabi nodded, "Your safety is a priority to the entire village. Once Sasuke reports to Orochimaru, he will take an interest in you. And one of these days that snake will try to take you."

"And th-that's not the worst of it," whispered Hinata, "Akatsuki has spies everywhere and m-most likely in Sound too. I-Itachi might want to t-take a look at y-you as well." Kana paled at the thought of actually meeting that cold blooded killer.

"That is why Tsunade-sama has set up both Hyuuga and Aburame guards to keep an eye on the both of you, but you're still vulnerable. The guards are for the most part a warning system. But if you were deep within the Hyuuga household, there would always be expert shinobi help only one room away."

Kana fidgeted nervously in her seat as she took all this information in, "Really? Only one room away?"

"A-actually Kana-chan, Hanabi and I sh-share a rather l-large room. Y-you would probably be in a b-bed right n-next to us every n-night."

Kana blinked, "Like sisters?"

"Actually step-sisters," corrected Hanabi.

"A-and Neji-san w-would be y-your nii-san."

"And if the engagement goes well, Sakura-san will be your onee-san."

This whole new concept of a large family... No, _a whole clan_,that would be always be there to protect her astounded the little girl. Aside from her frail great-grandmother, there was only her and Mitsu taking care of each other. With her head spinning, Kana was not so sure what to think anymore.

The second Neji and Sakura reached the rock garden, he pulled the pinkette into an embrace, "You have no idea how much I wanted to hold you for the past hour."

He gave her hair a kiss, "I must apologize for my clan's scheming. They like to stick their noses into everyone's personal lives."

She sighed into his chest as her arms wrapped around his torso, "When they want something, they don't let anything stop them. Sounds like someone I know." Sakura looked up at Neji and gave him big smile.

"Hn," with a small smirk, Neji dove for her delicious lips.

As Sakura's mind filled with the wonderful bliss of Neji, her inner self had to ruin the moment, 'As **Fun** as all these raging hormones are, there is still a major problem.'

"Haruno Sakura!" Sakiko came stomping through the hall and stopped right in front of the surprised lovebirds.

Sakura groaned into Neji's shirt, "Mother. Why do you have a problem with me and Neji being together?"

Sakiko snorted, "It's not that. No offense intended, Neji. You're a nice boy. Kami knows, he's a thousand times better for you than that Uchiha bastard, but you still have a lot of years ahead of you before getting tied down. To expect you to accept a marriage proposal of this magnitude, at a drop of a hat is preposterous!"

"I agree," replied Neji. Both Harunos did a double take.

"Really", they both squeaked.

Neji nodded and took Sakura by the hand, "We need to talk with my family." He led the two women back to the dining room.

Hiashi and Mitsu had returned to their seats and the clan leader was watching the confused woman fidget. Kana was stirring her melted ice cream, while deep in thought. She did not even look up when Sakura sat next to her.

"Haruno-sama has brought up a valid point," said Neji as he took his seat, "To demand an answer so soon is unfair to Mitsu-san and Sakura-san. I suggest giving them some time to give us their answer."

There were three audible sighs of relief were heard in the room.

"Hn," Sakiko scowled her response. With more time, maybe she could still talk her daughter out of this mess.

The elders frowned in frustration. Damn! They were so close! Once they had their acceptances, the clan planned to spend a small fortune to set up a grand double wedding within four months. They even had started arguing about the baby layette for the nursery.

Shoda was not going to give up that easily. He stood up, "You're absolutely right, Neji-san. Making such an important decision takes time. It is getting rather late and I am sure our guests need their rest." Neji and Hiashi helped their prospective brides to their feet. Sakiko and Kana were practically sprinting to the front courtyard.

Once Hiashi and Mitsu reached the courtyard, the clan leader gently grasped her hand, "Have a good night, Mitsu-san." He lifted the back of her hand to his lips while keeping his pearl eyes focused on hers.

"Arigato, Hiashi-san. You too," she managed breathlessly.

Neji was feeling more bold and gave Sakura a good night kiss, "Sweet dreams, Sakura."

"Huminaphafa," the pinkette mumbled as she dreamily looked up at Neji. Her irritated mother grabbed a hand pulled her daughter to the front gates. With a last look, Neji and his uncle retired back into the house.

Shoda waited for the ladies to step just beyond the gates, "I hope you have had a good evening, ladies. Please be sure to think over our offer and we'll prepare a suitable feast for your response next week."

'Next week... next week...,' echoed in four minds at once. All four of them froze in shock when they realized what the crafty Hyuuga had just said.

Slam! The Hyuuga Gates closed with a huge racket and anyone bearing pearl eyes had disappeared into the night... even the guards were not foolish enough to stick around.

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

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"Ooo hooo, heee heee," came a cackling voice from outside Tsunade's window. The Hokage rolled her eyes and stood up from her chair. Pulling open the window, she leaned out to find the Toad Sage writing like there was no tomorrow.

"What do you want now, you dirty old man?" Jiraiya looked up from his notebook as he gleefully smiled to his former teammate.

"This bet has been fantastic. I don't care if I lose or not. This is week has been a gold mine!"

Tsunade stared at Jiraiya like he grew a third head, "You mean I've already won? Damn, Kamizuki works fast. He might run late tomorrow morning. Maybe I can get a free D rank mission out of him."

Jiraiya wagged a finger at the blond, "Oh no, you don't! You haven't won, but you haven't lost either."

"Your going to have to explain yourself, baka."

Jiraiya smirked, "How about over a bottle of sake? Trust me, you're gonna need it."

Tsunade grinned, "Since when do I need a reason?" The two of them made themselves comfortable in her office and made several toasts to romance.

"So what did you mean by I haven't won. The last I saw of them, Izumo and Mitsu were quite sweet on each other."

"Woohoo," Jiraiya raised his cup high, "They were definitely being more than sweet. Try ALL over each over! If his teammate hadn't interrupted them, you would have won. But then, the shit would have hit the fan once Hiashi got word of that! Hell, the shit's still gonna fly when Izumo and Hiashi get wind of each other. Hee, hee, hee!

"Hiashi? What does that Hyuuga have to do with this?" Tsunade poured herself and Jiraiya another cup.

"Hmmmm, I don't know if I should tell you," he teased her until she started infusing her fists with chakra, "Okay, okay! Apparently, the Hyuuga Clan was impressed with the Uchiha widow and offered a marriage proposal on behalf of Hiashi."

Tsunade sputtered as she choked on her sake, "Wh-What the fuck? I heard that the Hyuugas were going to arrange a marriage, but I thought it would be for Sakura and Neji!"

Jiraiya grinned happily, "They were there too! Her mother went ballistic, but the teens are rather smitten with each other. The dramatics were great! My fans are gonna love this edition!"

"But, but, but... what about Izumo?" Tsunade's sake cup started to rattle in her hands.

"Poor Izumo's got real competition to deal with now," Then Jiraiya sighed, "And I thought my boy, Kakashi, would give Kamizuki a run for his money, but Mitsu's practically head over heels for the Chuunin."

"Well, if she's crazy for Izumo, then why is Hiashi competition?"

"Hn," Jiraiya smirked triumphantly, "Unlike you, I actually remember Uchiha Keitaro. And I can easily see why Mitsu couldn't say 'No'. Hiashi and Keitaro are very similar. They're both over fifteen years older than Mitsu. Both are a part of a powerful clan. And despite the eyes, they look very much alike. With the added protection of the Hyuuga clan, Hiashi's offering everything she wanted nine years ago. And from that kiss he planted on her, I can tell he's gonna do his best convincing Mitsu to marry him."

Tsunade wobbled a bit as she tried to stand up, "This is bad! This is real bad! Getting Mitsu laid was just harmless fun, but Marriage? This is too serious, too soon." Jiraiya shrugged helplessly.

The Hokage fell back on her chair and threw her head into her hands, "Why did the Hyuugas have to pull this shit on me now?"


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Naruto. I do not own "So In Love With Two" by Mikaila. I do not own "Beep!" by the Pussycat Dolls.

Warning: There be lemons ahead! You have been forewarned!

**Chapter 10**

As the noon-day sun shone over Konoha Park, Hinata sat happily on a bench enjoying the view of the water fountain the children playing around it. The summer heat always drove families to the shady trees and the cooling Konoha breeze sprinkled the fountain's water droplets through the air. Hinata watched one particular little boy run in a hyperactive frenzy from eating too much candy. The Hyuuga heiress giggled at how much the child reminded her of Naruto. She could easily imagine that child being their own... her dark hair, his blue eyes, and always in an uncontrollable state.

"Hello, Hinata," said a girl's voice to her left, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Hinata smiled at Ino, who this time was the one fidgeting her two fingers together.

"Of c-course not," Hinata patted the bench, "P-please sit down."

Ino smiled as she took a seat next to Hinata.

The young blond waited a few minutes as she tried to figure out her situation, "Hinata, may I ask for some advice?"

Very surprised, Hinata turned to Ino and gave her smile, "Sure, Ino. I'll d-do what I can."

"Has Shino-kun talked to you about me?"

Hinata covered her lips with one hand and giggled, "Of course. We are t-teammates. He's v-very taken with you."

Ino grinned, "That's good to know. I like him a lot too," she paused as yesterday's incident came to mind, "But Shibi-sama recommended that I not see Shino-kun anymore."

Hinata frowned, "Yes, I heard. I'm n-not sure what I would do if I was in y-your shoes, Ino."

"I admit a part of me is scared, but..." Ino stared up at the clouds as she tried to make sense of her feelings, "Nothing worth getting is ever easy. And I know Shino-kun is worth a lot. I really want this relationship to work."

"Well, y-you know, a relationship is hard w-work," said Hinata, "You both have to be w-willing to find each other's f-faults and still accept them. And only time spent t-together would reveal that."

Ino's face lit up, "Hinata, you're absolutely right! I can't make this kind of decision unless I get to know Shino more. I am willing to accept whatever happens. Thank you, Hinata! You're the best!" Ino gave Hinata a big hug then took off to find Shino.

Hinata smiled as she went back to watching the children, but it was not long before she heard another familiar voice, "Hi, Hinata. Is this seat taken?" Sakura clasped her hands behind her back and gave the Hyuuga heiress a grin.

"N-not at all, Sakura," Hinata watched the pinkette sit down and twiddle her thumbs nervously, "Is th-there something I can help y-you with?"

Sakura pulled her hands apart and turned to the other girl, "Yes, actually. I was thinking about how great it is that Neji and I are together..." The pinkette then trailed off as she started to blush.

"B-but," encouraged Hinata.

Sakura sighed, "I kinda wished we had more time, you know, to date. Just like other teens. Not just jump into a marriage, but to simply have fun together."

Hinata shrugged, "I d-don't see why not. Neji-niisan w-would be more than happy to go on a d-date. You have a f-few more d-days before your decision. W-why not make the most of it?"

"Of course! You're a genius," Sakura stood up and gave the other girl a hug, "I'm going to ask Neji-kun on a date. Arigato, Hinata." Sakura turned around and ran home to plan her special date.

Hinata sighed forlornly, "I wonder how Naruto-kun is d-doing? I should bring him some r-ramen. He hates hospital f-food." The Hyuuga heiress headed for Ichiraku's with a small smile.

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It was almost four in the afternoon, when Kakashi sauntered down the road with his nose stuck in his Icha Icha. Without even looking at the house number, he turned left at the open estate gates and through the front courtyard. He waited outside as he heard a little girl come bounding for the front door.

"I'm bored, Mom! I'm gonna go harass Hanabi-chan!"

"Whoa, there missy," he caught Kana before she sped past him, "Rather rude to take off on your sensei like that."

Kana looked this masked leaf-nin up and down, "Yeah right! Ino-sensei and Sakura-sensei are my teachers."

"Oh," he peered down at her with his one brown eye, "Did they visit for your training already?"

"Umm," the eight year old scowled a bit, "No, not really, but maybe they got hung up with something more important. Besides, my training time starts right after school. It's been almost an hour past."

Kakashi chuckled, "Gee, I must be off today. I can't remember the last time I was only one hour late. Well, it looks like it falls to me to inform you that Ino and Sakura will no longer be training you, but I, Hatake Kakashi, will."

"What," Kana snorted, "You most definitely cannot be my sensei. For one thing, you've only got one eye." She pointed to his askew forehead protector.

Kana looked up at him with a haughty smirk, "What makes you think you could train me any better than Ino-sensei or Sakura-sensei?"

"Because," Kakashi moved his protector from his eye, "I actually have two eyes."

As Mitsu stepped out of Kana's bedroom with the dirty laundry, she was surprised to see her daughter dragging a smug Hatake Kakashi through the kitchen and out the sliding glass door, "Time for my training, Mom! See you in a bit!"

"Oookay, then," Mitsu dropped off the basket of clothes in front of the washer and started switching the loads. Her hands were working automatically, but her mind was running a mile a minute.

"Izumo or Hiashi, Izumo or Hiashi, Izumo or Hiashi," her brain was so busy burning itself out, that her hands on the bottle of laundry detergent slipped out and the bottle crashed on the floor. Blue goop splattered everywhere, including her clothes and hair.

"Shit," Mitsu pinched at her top and pants, "That's just great!" She pulled off her outer layer, soaked up as much of the soap from the floor and walls with the fabric, then threw them into the washer.

Praying that no one was looking through her living room windows, Mitsu tip toed down the hallway in just her bra and panties to the master bathroom.

As she washed the detergent from her hair in the shower, Mitsu's thoughts wandered back to when she first walked into this room. Izumo had been looking at her and the ornate tub rather oddly. Her lips curled into a mischievous smirk. Thanks to the past few days, she now had a pretty good idea why he looked spacey.

'Maybe the next time I see him, I should offer to bathe him with me wearing nothing, but a towel,' Mitsu giggled as she imagined the many ways the pervy chuunin might react.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Mitsu groaned as her clock radio blared it's alarm at her. Stupid thing came with horrid directions and now it was stuck beeping at four in the afternoon. Okay, maybe taking her frustration on it now and again, may have contributed to the malfunction, but at least she could still listen to the radio. Mitsu took her soap and aimed it for the snooze/radio button. It hit on target, but she must have thrown it too hard because the radio sputtered for a moment before a music station came through.

Mitsu ignored the abused radio as she finished cleaning up. As she stepped out of the shower, Mitsu grabbed a towel and looked around. The entire room was full of steam and the mirror was completely fogged.

"Huh, I didn't think I was in the shower that long?" She sat down at the tub edge and rubbed down her legs with lotion. Looking down at the ornate tub, Mitsu wondered if Hiashi had a whirlpool bath like hers.

"Probably one of those traditional baths that are more like a pool," her mind mused on the luxury of swimming in a hot bubble bath with Hiashi sitting at the edge, watching her every move. She felt her body shiver in pleasure at the thought of Hiashi's piercing eyes gazing lustfully at her.

As she refilled her palm with more moisturizer, her mind jumped into imagining Izumo's strong hands smoothing the lotion over her legs and various other places. She let out a small whimper as she bit her lower lip.

Just then the music changed to a song that broke her out of the warring daydreams. Her mouth dropped open as she listened to the words sung by a young woman.

_'My number one: There could never be no one like you. How come I feel this way about'_

_'My number two: Never tried to tell me what to say or do'_

_'I'm so in love with two'_

_'I don't want to push it. I don't want to fight'_

_'But this feeling keeps me up all night'_

Mitsu frowned as stood up and tried to turn the damn thing to another station. Apparently, the soap and steam had worked their way into the clock and shorted out the tuner.

_'If I only could decide. But I can't make up my mind'_

_'I'm breakin' all my rules because of you'_

_You can tell me it's not right. And it tears me up inside'_

_'But the problem is I'm so in love with two'_

Off button. There had to be an off button. Where was the god damn off button! Growling, Mitsu pulled the plug. The horrid music continued. She turned the offending clock radio over to find the backup battery cover was screwed down tight.

_Hey, hey, hey I don't know what to do_

_Hey, hey, hey I choose the both of you_

"Aaarrrgh!" Quickly tyeing a robe on and taking the offensive music with her, she ran to a kitchen drawer and pulled out a philips screwdriver

"What? It takes a flathead? GOD DAMN IT!" She picked up the clock and burst through the sliding glass door. Kana and Kakashi were stunned to see a half-naked and scowling Mitsu stomping onto the patio with a blaring radio in hand.

_'If I only could decide. But I can't make up my mind._

_I'm breakin' all my rules because of you'_

With the clock in her right hand, pulled her arm back and threw the cursed clock upwards. Kana and Kakashi threw themselves in opposite directions as they recognized the hand signs Mitsu made and brought to her lips.

"Fire style: Fireball Jutsu!" The airborn clock roasted in the air. Its case turned into a bubbling plastic goo.

The fucker kept playing! Mitsu cursed as she flipped the screwdriver in her hand.

Kakashi and Kana watched as the tool went singing through the air. The business end pierced the bubbling shell of the clock in the middle, effectively pinning it to a high point of the tree trunk.

_'If I only _PSSSHHT _decide. But _PSSSHT _mind.'_

_'Someb_ PSSSHHHHT- BOING!

The song died as a metal coil burst out the side.

"Hn!" Mitsu straightened her shoulders and stomped back into the house.

Kakashi turned to his student with a questioning gaze.

"Mom's been stressed lately," Kana nervously fidgeted her fingers together.

Kakashi nodded, "I can see that." Through the living room windows, he closely watched the barely dressed woman stalk back to her bedroom.

Kana snapped her fingers in front of her sensei's face, "Hey! None of that! She's got enough problems as it is. Besides my Mom belongs to Hiashi-sama." Her little voice faltered when Kana realized what she just said. Kakashi's eye widened in surprise.

"I mean Izumo-kun... or Hiashi-sama... No, Izumo-kun! Aaaargh!" Raising her hands to her midnight hair, Kana turned bright red as her own little brain cells started burning themselves out.

"So which is it," chuckled Kakashi, "I knew Izumo really liked your Mom, but the Hyuuga clan leader too?"

Kana grumbled something inaudibly, as she stared at her feet.

"What was that," said Kakashi as he lifted a hand to his ear and leaned forward to his student.

"I said, last night Hiashi-sama asked my Mom to marry him."

Kakashi leaned back and nodded, "Ah hah, I see. And am I to assume that Izumo has made known similar intentions to Mitsu-san as well."

Kana winced, "Um, I don't know. I saw them kissing yesterday afternoon. Does that count?"

Kakashi shook his head, "Not really. The truth is, even if Izumo has serious feelings for your mother, it may take some time for him to decide whether or not to pop the question."

"Well, he better decide what he wants fast because we have less than a week to give the Hyuugas our decision. And from Mom's little fit a moment ago, she's having a hard time figuring out what she wants too!"

Kakashi gave the Uchiha heir a serious look, "What do you want?"

Kana whimpered as she plopped herself on the ground, "I don't know."

Changing the subject to stop the little girl's moping, Kakashi brought up a good question, "So then...Fireball Jutsu?"

The girl shrugged, "Papa's."

"Can you?"

"Don't know it. She wouldn't teach me. Says I'm too young."

"Want to learn?" Kakashi winked slyly. Not a particularly effective gesture on the One Eyed Nin.

Kana's eyes brightened as she jumped up with excitement, "Hell yeah!"

-------------------------------------------------

After Mitsu and Kana finished dinner, Kurenai and Anko came to the front door along with about half their wardrobe in tow.

"Don't you think this is overdoing this a bit," grumbled Mitsu, "Besides, it might not be a good idea for me to go after all."

Anko dropped all the clothing she had in her arms, "What! Why not?"

Kana picked up an outfit that could only be described as a leather strap connected with string, "Hey a slingshot!"

Kurenai laughed out loud, "Anko, we're taking her to a bar, not a cosplay con."

Anko snatched the top from the eight year old, "Gimme that! Come on Mitsu, why can't you go?"

"Because," Mitsu sighed as she threw herself on the couch, "Izumo-kun will be there and I have to be on my best behavior until I figure out this whole engagement business."

"Engagement!" Both kunoichi stopped what they were doing and turned on their friend.

"What engagement," Kurenai and Anko sat down next to the woman, who was currently trying to suffocate herself with a pillow.

"Hyuuga Hiashi has asked for my Mom's hand in marriage," said Kana as she started testing out her new slingshot.

There was absolute silence and for once even Anko was at a loss for words.

"They invited us for dinner," Mitsu pulled the pillow off her face and raised her hands in defense, "I had no idea what they were up to! I swear!"

Kurenai looked at Anko, "I thought you told her about that Garden Party scam."

"I did," Anko squeaked, "I even kept her out of trouble for a good part of the time. I didn't think anybody would have enough information on her to give a dinner invite."

"You forgot about the Hyuugas apparently," growled Kurenai.

Anko shrugged helplessly, "I had no say in the matter. They were the ones assigned to them for guard duty. I bet even the Hokage didn't know they were trying to hook up Hiashi."

Mitsu hung her head pitifully, "Well, it's too late for that problem now. I've got a bigger one."

"Yeah," said the pony-tailed jounin with her hands on her hips, "How do you tell Hiashi-teme to fuck off?"

Kurenai groaned into her hands.

Mitsu winced as she fiddled with the pillow ruffles, "Actually it's a bit more complicated then that."

"She likes him," interrupted Kana from the kitchen, as she pulled out an egg crate from the fridge.

"Really?" Anko looked at her like she had a screw loose.

Kurenai closed her eyes in thought, "Well, he is quite handsome, despite his age... and he always had the quiet sexy attitude that all Hyuuga men are famous for."

"And he's richer than three kages combined," sneered Anko, "Doesn't mean I'd sleep with him."

Kurenai raised an eyebrow, "Hn, that'd be a first. So Mitsu, you're actually considering marrying Hiashi. How do you feel about Izumo? Would you marry him?"

Kurenai and Anko watched Mitsu's eyes softened then her lips smile as she thought about marrying Izumo, "I might like that," she paused when reality reared it's ugly head.

"But I understand the shinobi lifestyle encourages one night stands and other short term relationships. I don't know if Izumo-kun is ready for that or if he ever will be." Mitsu squeezed the couch pillow as she pulled her knees up in self-comfort.

"Maybe it'll kinder to just let Izumo-kun go, before we go too far."

Kurenai looked at Mitsu thoughtfully, "I don't think you really believe that. Otherwise you wouldn't still be calling him Izumo-kun."

The burgundy-haired woman groaned into her pillow.

"Stupid Hyuugas," grumbled Anko as she twirled her kunai, "They have to ruin everybody's fun, don't they?"

"Oh Anko," sighed Mitsu, "You can still go out to the bar without me. You and Kurenai have fun. I'm sure Kotetsu-san will love all the attention you're going to give him."

Seeing how her friend was willing to sacrifice a night of fun made Anko's eyes tear up and her bottom lip quiver.

Then the snake kunoichi snapped back together, "You know what! Screw this engagement limbo," Anko grabbed Mitsu's arm and pulled her upright.

Kurenai grabbed the other arm, "I agree! Even a bride is allowed a bachelorette party and you're not even engaged. One night of harmless fun won't kill a future marriage to whoever you end up with. Hiashi's a big boy. He would understand that."

The two kunoichi dragged their friend to her bathroom and threw her in. "Get cleaned up and ready. We'll call Sakura and pick out some clothes." Anko closed the door with a slam leaving a bewildered Mitsu rubbing her arms.

Refreshed and wearing some make up, Mitsu peeked outside the bathroom door. Anko and Kurenai were arguing over a dress and Sakura was holding up a cute red leather zip vest.

"Hm, Anko-san can I borrow this. I want to ask Neji on a date."

"I don't know, Sakura."

"I won't tell Hiashi-sama that you convinced Mitsu-san to go on this drunken escapade."

"Just return it in two days."

Sakura squealed happily as she pulled off her regular top and tried on the vest.

Suddenly the door Mitsu was hiding behind opened up, "Ah ha! Come on now," Kurenai pulled her friend to the bed, "We have some stuff picked out." She led Mitsu to a tight cocktail dress.

"Uh uh, no way. That dress screams 'Fuck Me Now'."

Kurenai sneered at Anko, "Told you so. How about this one?" She held up a knee length red halter tie dress

"Hmmm, the length is nice enough, but the straps won't give me enough support. It'd fall apart with the smallest tug on the knot. And I have no intention of flashing the entire bar."

"Hey, what about this," Sakura held up a black leather bustier with a red inlet and black laces along the front.

Mitsu pulled it up and gave a little smile, "I remember I used to wear something like this when I was just a chuunin. I paired it up with matching pants."

Anko dove into a separate pile and pulled out a pair of leather capris, "Is this close enough?"

"Sure," Mitsu chuckled as she looked over her outfit, "All that's missing is my kunai holster and it's as if I never retired." Anko pulled out a kunai and holster from her trench coat.

"What," she shrugged at their curious glances, "I always carry spares when I'm looking to get laid."

Sakura held her hands up and backed out of the room slowly, "I don't even want to know."

As the three women changed, Anko put in her favorite music. They chose a song that would work for them and practiced a bit of dancing.

Once Kurenai, Anko, and Mitsu finished changing, they strolled out in their high heels into the living room for Sakura and Kana's opinion.

Kana quirked an eyebrow, "You certainly don't leave much to the imagination, do you, Anko-san?"

Anko had exchanged her tan mini for a red one and wore a matching bikini top underneath her mesh bodysuit. Kurenai wore the red halter dress and pulled her long dark hair into a french twist.

Sakura walked around as she inspected the three women, "Hmmm, yes. Anko-san's outfit screams slut as always."

Said kunoichi raised a triumphant fist.

"Kurenai-san, classy and sexy. Asuma's gonna love that!"

Kurenai glowed, "Oh good!"

"And Mitsu-san," Sakura pulled out Mitsu's usual messy bun and smoothed out the hair, "Now you look like a shinobi's wet dream. Hiashi better hope you have a chastity belt underneath those tight pants."

Mitsu paled as she remembered why she wanted to stay home in the first place.

"I'll go change then...My black travel kimono should be okay, right?"

"Oh no, you don't," shouted Sakura, "Kurenai get the door. Anko get her other arm." The pinkette grabbed Mitsu's arm. Together, Anko and Sakura picked up the struggling Mitsu off the ground and deposited her outside the front door.

"Don't worry about Kana-chan, Mitsu-san. Go have fun!" Then the pinkette slammed the door and locked it.

Sakura turned around just in time to duck from a flying egg.

"Whoo hoo! It works!"

Hiashi was meditating in the rock garden when he heard women's voices in the distance. One familiar voice sounded panicked, while the others were trying to soothe her.

"Relax, Mitsu. You worry too much! Tonight'll be fun."

"How about I get something else to wear or better yet, go another time?"

"Mitsu?" Hiashi picked himself up and walked towards the front gates. The gate guards stiffened as they saw their leader striding into the courtyard. Hiashi looked through the open gates in time to see the burgundy beauty being pulled down the road by Yuuhi Kurenai and Mitarashi Anko. The three Hyuugas stood stunned at the clothing the women were wearing. Mitsu looked like the kunoichi she must have been years ago.

"What is she wearing? And where is she going?" One of the guards cleared his throat, "We overheard them tell Mitsu they were headed for the Razor Leaf Bar. I think it's Ladies Night there."

Hiashi gave the guard a piercing look before walking away, "I'm not going to bother asking how you knew that."

The Hyuuga clan leader grimaced as he walked through the hallways, 'She's not your wife yet. In fact, she's not even your fiance. There is no reason why she can't go out with her friends.' Even if one of those friends happens to be Mitarashi Anko, the infamous Konoha Bed Hopper.

'That girl gives Hatake Kakashi a run for his money,' Hiashi then stopped in his tracks.

"What if Mitsu meets Kakashi there?" Hiashi spun around and headed for his bedroom. He rummaged through his walk-in closet looking for some ordinary clothes to wear.

He stalked out of the enormous closet with a scowl, "Someone's been messing with my wardrobe again. I wonder if Neji can spare some clothes."

Neji was surprised to see his uncle knocking on his door, "Hiashi-sama?" The sixteen year old slid open the door and let Hiashi inside.

"Do you have some street clothes I can borrow, Neji," the man tried to look as dignified as possible as Neji went to his dresser to pull out a shirt and pair of slacks, "I need to visit a bar."

"A bar?" Neji stared blankly as he handed the clothes to Hiashi, "Why?"

"As we speak, Mitsu-san is being dragged to the Razor Leaf by Mitarashi Anko and Yuuhi Kurenai."

The younger Hyuuga frowned, "That's not good. And you're going to make sure Mitsu-san goes home alone?"

Hiashi stepped out of Neji's room, "Exactly. Have a good night."

-------------------------------------------------

As the sun melted into the horizon, Izumo and Kotetsu walked down the street to be joined by Konoha's Ladies Man, Hatake Kakashi, "Yo!" The Copy Nin gave the two a lazy salute while his other hand held a new Icha Icha.

"Hey Kakashi. Heading to the Razor Leaf too?" Izumo casually unbuttoned the top of his grey jacket as he gave Kakashi a sidelong glance. Kotetsu rolled his eyes at his baka friend.

"It's Ladies Night, of course I am," Kakashi chuckled as he turned a page, "And so is Asuma, Genma and Yamato." He chuckled when he heard the chuunin snort.

"Not looking forward to competition for the ladies, Kamizuki?"

"Hn," Izumo stared ahead, "There's only one I'm interested in."

Kakashi snapped his book closed and pocketed behind his vest, "That's good to hear. I'm sure Kana-chan would be happy to know that."

Izumo blinked for a moment, "You know Kana?"

"I'm her new sensei and I must say this afternoon's training was enlightening."

The chuunin's eyes perked up, "Is that so?"

As they hit a corner, the three nin ran into Genma, Yamato, and Asuma.

"Speak of the devils," mumbled Asuma as the two groups continued down the street, "We were told you guys were the foremost authorities on this rumor we've been hearing."

"Oh, which rumor is that? That Gai is well hung or Genma has no sex life?"

Genma growled as the others cracked up, "Neither cyclops. We're talking about the Uchiha heir and widow."

"Ah, yes. Kana-chan showed potential today. She certainly has more enthusiasm for learning than Sasuke. Hopefully that means a more stable personality."

"And the widow," asked Yamato.

Kakashi took a moment to think, "Well, Mitsu-san's got good aim with a screwdriver, but her Fireball Jutsu could use some work."

"Eh?" All the men looked at him like he grew a third head.

"Mitsu-san," Genma nearly choked on his senbon when he finally recognized the name, "You mean to tell me the Mitsu-san we were chasing is the Uchiha widow?"

"Didn't you know, Genma," chuckled Kakashi, "Would have thought you'd figure it out by now. Maybe you need to loosen up that forehead protector."

"Screw you, Kakashi!"

Yamato stepped between Genma and the Copy Nin, "What else do you know about her?"

"Oh, I also know that the Hyuuga Clan has just asked for her hand in marriage for Hiashi-sama."

Izumo stopped in his tracks, completely wild eyed, "WHA-WHAT THE FUCK!?"

Every one stopped walking as they stared at a freaking Izumo.

Kakashi's eye twinkled, "And that she didn't say 'Yes'."

The chuunin just about fainted in relief.

"But she didn't say 'No' either," Kakashi closely watched Izumo as the man scowled.

"Must've tricked her," they could hear him growl under his breath as he stormed ahead of them, "Must've scared her somehow. White-eyed bastards. What chance does that old goat have?"

As the entire group followed Izumo to the bar, Kakashi started counting on his fingers, "Money, good looks, and the entire Hyuuga clan at his beck and call. Pretty good, I'd say."

"Shut up," snapped Izumo, "She's not their perfect submissive doormat they usually go for. Why does that Hyuuga want her anyways?"

"Heh heh. Well, for one thing she's got good taste in bathrobes and lingerie," Kakashi grinned under his mask as he savored the memories.

"OI!" Izumo glared suspiciously at Kakashi.

Kotetsu tilted his head up as he thought about yesterday afternoon, "I have to admit that lace bra looked good on her."

"KOTETSU!?"

The two teasers snickered at the infuriated chuunin.

Yamato jerked a thumb at Izumo, "What is up with him?"

"Don't mind him," said Kotetsu, "He's been getting possessive since he and Mitsu-san had a major make out session."

Izumo growled at his teammate, "It would've gotten further if you hadn't interrupted."

"Tch, damn," whispered Genma as he scratched his head, "I don't suppose you're up for sharing?"

"HELL NO!"

"Right, right," Genma stuck his hands in his pockets, "Well, The Razor Leaf should be packed to the rafters with lonely women. Tonight should be good."

Asuma took out his cigarette long enough to flick the ash off, "Kurenai hinted at some karaoke with Anko, so you can bet there'll be quite a show."

Genma smirked, "I wonder who'll be the lucky guy that Anko serenades tonight?"

"I wouldn't call it a serenade," chuckled Kakashi, "More like a song and lap dance."

Waiting inside the bar, the three women sat in a booth, sipping their drinks. Anko was scoping out the other women milling about the bar.

"Kami, look at these civilian leeches hanging off the shinobi like groupies. Have some pride, girls."

Shaking her head, Kurenai looked up from her drink, "And what do you call tonight's plan as?"

"Ensnaring a lover," corrected Anko as she downed another shot of sake.

"Hmmm," Mitsu sighed happily as she sipped her second pina colada, "Maybe you girls were right. This isn't too bad." She lifted her feet up to the table and stretched out her legs.

Anko smiled haughtily, "Told ya'. Now we just wait for the targets to arrive and the fun can really begin."

As the three women enjoyed themselves, an imposing figure came walking through the heavy bar doors. All female eyes turned at the same time to get a good look at this man.

"Hey," Kurenai gestured towards the bar, "Who's the new guy?"

Anko narrowed her eyes trying to get them to focus better, "Dunno... Long black hair, nice clothes, no forehead protector though. Might be cute if he'd just turn around."

After picking up his bottle of the finest sake from the bartender, the stranger complied with Anko's wish.

Kurenai and Anko gasped in horror, while Mitsu blissfully smiled, "Oh look, it's Hiashi-sama." Her fingers were already wiggling hello to him by the time her alcohol impaired brain cells fired up.

"HIASHI-SAMA," her legs dropped off the table and she coughed uncontrollably as she choked on her drink. It took her a moment to clear her lungs then Mitsu turned to her friends with terror in her eyes.

"Holy shit! What's he doing here? Izumo-kun's going to be coming through that door any minute. What am I going to do? What am I going to do?"

Not knowing what to say, Anko took another shot of liquid courage as she nervously looked the handsome Hyuuga over.

Kurenai patted Mitsu's hand, while keeping an eye on Hiashi, "J-just stay calm. Remember you're not doing anything wrong. Oh kami-sama, he's coming over."

"Hyuuga!"

Everyone's heads turned to the opposite booth where the Hokage and Shizune were sitting comfortably.

The blond woman smiled and waved, "Come join me, Hiashi-san. I insist." Her lips smiled warmly, but her brown eyes brooked no nonsense, daring the Hyuuga Clan leader to defy her.

'Damn! So close,' Hiashi grimaced for a moment, but turned to go sit with Tsunade and her assistant.

The three women sighed in relief as Hiashi sat down next to the Hokage.

"So Hiashi-san," grinned Tsunade, "What brings you here? I've never seen you take interest in The Razor Leaf before."

The Hyuuga narrowed his pearl-eyes at the Hokage as he poured himself some alcohol, "I'm here to protect my interests."

"Is that what she is to you? A business proposition?" Tsunade took a calm sip from her cup.

"Hokage-sama," growled Hiashi, "You know me better than that and with all due respect, please keep your nose out of my business."

Mitsu downed the last of her drink then faked a yawn and stretched her arms, "Oh gosh, I'm beat. Thanks for the drinks, girls, but I think I'm going to head to bed."

"Bullshit," Anko held the escaping woman down, "You can't go. Did you forget about the karaoke?"

Mitsu shook her head, "Hell no. Why do you think I'm running? I can't sing _that_ song and dance with Izumo-kun while Hiashi-sama's right there watching. He'll kill me."

"No, he won't," chided Kurenai.

"Okay, he'll kill Izumo-kun first, then me," Mitsu dropped her forehead on the table in despair.

Kurenai took a moment to think through the situation, "The karaoke should be fine. As long as you don't get near Izumo, Hiashi-sama won't feel suspicious at all." Mitsu perked up as she thought about Kurenai's suggestion.

"That's right," nodded Anko, "He'll just think you're trying to seduce the whole bar."

Mitsu narrowed her ruby eyes and slowly shook her head, "That doesn't help, Anko."

"No, no. It works. If you're careful, it'll be obvious that you're helping Anko land Kotetsu. All you have to do is ignore Izumo and you're home free."

Mitsu whined as she thought about the chuunin, "Poor Izumo-kun. I don't want to hurt his feelings."

Anko offered Mitsu some of her sake, who distractedly threw it down her throat.

"Anko and I will explain everything to him," reassured Kurenai as she, "Oh, look here they are now."

Anko and Mitsu turned around to see the guys push through the doors and head for the bartender.

Apparently, they were not the only females to notice the shinobi stags ordering their drinks. Two particular women, a blond and a redhead, sauntered up to the handsome fellows.

"Hey gorgeous, love the goatee. That Yuuhi must not be enough woman for ya' to be here. Wanna give me a go?" The blond lifted a hand and stroked Asuma's beard.

Kurenai quirked an eyebrow, "Excuse me?" The dark-haired kunoichi glared at the blonde's back, imagining sending a kunai into it.

The redhead squeezed her way in between Kotetsu and Izumo, "My, my don't the two of you make a delicious pair. Wanna share a sweet treat tonight? Namely, me." She let out a long and insipid giggle as the two men stared at her with bug-eyes.

"OH NO, SHE DIDN'T!" It took both Kurenai and Mitsu to hold Anko down.

Mitsu had half a mind to let Anko go and help rip the woman to shreds, but with Hiashi's presence just across the room, she kept her claws withdrawn.

"Anko, remember the last time you got in a cat fight," Kurenai pointed to the booth from across them, "The Hokage gave you D rank missions for two weeks straight and this time she's right here."

Tsunade and Hiashi noticed the commotion coming from the three kunoichi's table. The Hokage looked from the pissed off Anko over to the bar to see two women flirting heavily with some familiar shinobi.

"Tch, Shizune, could you get me another bottle," sighed Tsunade, "I think I might need it."

Shizune, glanced at the trio, then back at Tsunade, sighed and nodded.

Across the way, Anko drummed her fingers on the table, "The missions might be worth the trouble, but I don't want Tsunade-sama to get in the way."

Drumm, drumm, drumm, drumm.

Mitsu looked over at the bar and watched Red ruffle her fingers through Izumo's hair. She took another deep gulp of sake to keep herself from churning with rage.

"Ah hah!" Anko took a quick pull from the sake bottle, before dragging Kurenai and Mitsu out of the booth.

"Time to sing, girls! Just follow my lead."

The three women walked up to the karaoke machine and pulled up "Beep!" by the Pussycat Dolls. They each picked up a microphone as the music started. The base thumped throughout the bar as Anko, Kurenai, and Mitsu began to sing. Everyone, including the men at the bar, looked up from their drinks.

_'Ha, ha-ha, ha-ha, Ha, Ha-ha, ha.'_

As the rap started, all three seductively walked off the stage and worked the moves they practiced earlier.

_'It's funny how a man only thinks about the...' '_ They blew kisses in the air.

_'You got a real big heart, but I'm looking at your... ' _They slid their hands across their tops.

_'You got real big brains, but I'm looking at your...' _They slapped each other's asses.

_'Girl, there ain't no pain in me looking at your...' _They continued to confidently strut across the dance floor, singing the chorus and heading straight for the bar.

_'I don't give a...'_

_'Keep looking at my..'_

_'Cause it don't mean a thing if you're looking at my...'_

_'I'm a do my thing while you're playing with your...'_

_'Ha, ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha.'_

Anko went up to the redheaded woman, grabbed the interloper's wrist, and gave it a twist. The snake kunoichi gave the surprised Kotetsu a lusty wink. Wincing in pain, Red let Anko guide her away from the blue-haired nin and into the middle of the dance floor.

Mitsu started in on the first verse and faced the bar to distract how Anko and Kurenai were pushing the other woman out into the open.

_'Every boy's the same, Since up in the seventh grade.'_

_'They been trying to get with me, Trying to Ha, ha-ha, ha, ha-ha.'_

The guys at the bar kept trying to see what Anko and Kurenai were doing, but Mitsu kept blocking the view.

"Who is that," asked Yamato as he eyed the new lady.

"That is Uchiha Mitsu," Kakashi said as he tucked his book away. He figured now would be a good time to enjoy the show.

Continuing the song, Mitsu turned around and joined her friends as they slowly revolved around Red like predators. The woman crossed her arms defiantly and tried to break out of the circle. Kurenai stepped out front, then Mitsu raised an arm, when the redhead tried to run the other way. Starting her solo, Anko blocked the woman's third escape attempt and stood nose to nose with Red.

_'They only want. Only want my ha, ha-ha, ha-ha.'_ Anko signaled to widen the circle. So Kurenai and Mitsu took a few steps back, ready for anything.

_'Only want what they want. But na, ah-ah. Na, ah-ah.'_ Stepping backwards, Anko wagged her finger at the frustrated woman then brandished three shuriken. Red dropped her tough act and started to bite a nail nervously.

When the rap began, Anko threw her shuriken full force past the freaking woman. Kurenai picked the shuriken out of the air, then threw them to Mitsu, who easily caught them, and sent the weapons flying again. As all three women continued to circle around, the kunoichi played a deadly game of Piggy In The Middle, slicing and dicing the edges of the terrified woman's dress. When the woman saw red hair strands fall to the ground, she let out a horrified shriek. Anko caught the shuriken and pocketed them as everyone watched the other woman take of running for the door.

Tsunade sighed a she gulped her sake, "I wonder how much THAT is gonna cost me."

The satisfied kunoichi sang the chorus while turning on the blond woman hanging off of Asuma. Kurenai pulled the other woman off with a neck-grab from behind and led her a few feet away from the bar. The dark-haired kunoichi let the blond go in time to sing into the interloper's face.

_'Do you know that no, Don't mean yes, it means no.'_

_'So just hold up, wait a minute, Let me put my two cents in it.'_

Kurenai continued as all three women started crowding the worried woman. The blond turned around to leave, but bumped into Mitsu, who pushed her into Anko. Kurenai pulled out her kunai and twirled it on one finger. Anko poked the nervous woman in the shoulder during her turn to sing.

_'They only want. Only want my ha, ha-ha. Ha, ha-ha.'_

_'Only want what they want. But, na, ah-ha. Na, ah-ha.'_

All three jerked up their fists as if to slug the blond. The woman let out a strangled sob and ran for the door. The kunoichi smirked evilly and high-fived each other.

Tsunade ticked off another expense, as she downed some more alcohol.

Triumphant, Anko sang and danced next to Kotetsu, while Kurenai cozied up to Asuma. Feeling left out, Mitsu hated avoiding Izumo, but she kept her distance on the open floor.

Carefully watching the spectacle, another woman at the end of the bar noticed that Izumo was alone. Figuring he was a safe bet, she slinked up close to him, smiling. Trying to ignore the lady, Izumo looked towards Mitsu.

When Mitsu noticed the other woman cozying up to Izumo, she felt her heart clench and her stomach drop, but held back like a good girl.

As she turned around, Mitsu saw the woman pull Izumo into an intimate hug. In an alcoholic haze, her mind snapped in a dangerous fit of jealousy. Hearing a growl, Anko and Kurenai looked up from their kissing to worriedly watch their friend. Mitsu stalked to the thundering beat, her target in sight.

Mitsu slid a hand in front of the surprised woman's face before she could plant a kiss on Izumo.

_'Ooh, you've got it bad I can tell.'_ Singing, Mitsu pushed the interloper back.

_'You want it bad, but oh well.'_ She narrowed her ruby eyes with a warning, while blocking the other woman from her beau.

_'Girl, what you got for him is something he.'_ The interrupted woman frowned at Mitsu and gave her The Double Bird then turned around as if bored.

_'Something he don't need.'_ Thoroughly pissed off, Mitsu gave the woman's ass a kick, sending the bitch flying into a nearby table.

Tipping the last of her sake into a cup, Tsunade scowled angrily at the empty bottle. Hiashi noticed Mitsu's reaction to the now bruised woman and his pearl eyes activated to get a better look at the young stud Mitsu was cutting off from the other ladies.

Mitsu snapped around to see a smirking Izumo chuckling evilly. She swayed up to him, then danced dangerously close. Too close for Hiashi's comfort. Izumo licked his lips when Mitsu turned around and ground her back into his body. She brought her mic up to sing the chorus with her friends as she trailed her free hand around Izumo's neck. She held back a moan when his hands rubbed up and down her body and Izumo repeatedly nipped at her earlobe.

Feeling the killer chakra build up from Hiashi's direction, Anko and Kurenai pulled away from their beaus to remove Mitsu from Izumo's arms. Pouting all the way to the stage, Mitsu followed the others to finish the song.

_'I don't give a...'_

_'Keep looking at my..'_

_'Cause it don't mean a thing if you're looking at my...'_

_'I'm a do my thing while you're playing with your...'_

_'Ha, ha-ha, ha-ha, ha-ha.'_

The three women bowed to the thunderous applause of the audience. As they walked off the stage, the women were stopped by an angry Hokage.

"I want to see you three in my office..." the stern blonde's brown eyes were caught by a handsome shinobi walking by with an appraising grin. He raised his glass to the Hokage as he passed her.

Tsunade lifted an interested eyebrow, "In the morning. Stay out of trouble." Then she took off to follow the grinning shinobi.

The three kunoichi gave each other glances then shrugged.

"Looks like you're gonna be the lucky one keeping Anko warm for the next two weeks," Genma gave Kotetsu a friendly punch in the arm.

Kakashi chuckled knowingly, "Be sure to eat all your veggies and remember naps are your friends."

Then the Copy Nin turned to a thoughtful eye on the smug bastard called Asuma, "You knew Kurenai was watching. Why did you encourage the poor blond?"

Asuma took a drag off his cigarette and smirked, "I was curious to see what Kurenai would do. I didn't expect the other two to get involved. You have to admit, that was fun."

Shaking his head, Kakashi pulled out his Icha Icha and sighed.

"Maybe I shouldn't take so many month long missions," grumbled Yamato, "I'm missing out on some good stuff."

"Uh oh," Genma pointed ahead, "Be on you best behavior now, Asuma. Because here come the alpha females."

Kurenai and Anko kept Mitsu behind them as they gave the guys dazzling smiles, "Care to sit with us. We need to discuss a few things." Kurenai pointed meaningfully to both Izumo and Mitsu.

Anko grabbed Kotetsu's arm and pulled the chuunin to their booth. Asuma and Kurenai followed with Kakashi, Genma, and Yamato. Izumo and Mitsu stole heated glances with each other, but the other kunoichi kept her out of his reach.

At the booth, Anko and Kurenai strategically sat Mitsu between them. Kotetsu took the end next to Anko and Asuma sat on the other side of Kurenai. Mitsu pouted as Izumo was forced to sit across from her with Genma, Yamato and Kakashi.

"Okay Izumo, it's real simple. You and Mitsu, no touchy. Got it? Got it," Anko quickly turned her attention to a grinning Kotetsu.

Feeling left out, Mitsu poured everyone a cup of sake and then herself. The guys were then surprised to see her down hers like water.

Coughing for a bit, Mitsu looked to her left to see Kurenai tickling Asuma's chin, while Anko, on her right, was busy nibbling Kotetsu's neck.

Glowering, Mitsu threw her elbows on the table rested her chin in both hands, "Well, this sucks." She looked into Izumo's brown eyes and sighed wistfully.

"You're telling me," grumbled the chuunin, "Why won't they let me touch you?" Mitsu turned bright red then carefully pointed to the booth across from them. Izumo, Genma and Yamato looked across the room in time to see the Hokage with her new beau, stealing some of Hyuuga Hiashi's sake. Hiashi glowered at Tsunade, but turned to look at the shinobi staring at him. He gave them a curt nod.

Hiashi looked Izumo over. The boy was now a good distance away from Mitsu and Hiashi hoped he stayed that way.

"What's he doing here," hissed Izumo.

Mitsu drank some more sake as she shrugged helplessly, "Dunno. We did pass the Hyuuga gates on the way over. Maybe the guards told him."

"Is it true about the Hyuuga clan and their offer?" Izumo watched her wince painfully.

"I had no clue what the dinner meant," she whispered, "I thought they were just being nice."

Izumo sniffed, "Way too nice." He sent an evil glare towards the Hyuuga.

"Don't get any ideas, lover boy," warned Kakashi as he turned a page, "He may be retired, but Hiashi could wipe the floor with you."

"Hence the 'No Touchy' rule," reminded Genma, who was happy to see someone else miserable over a woman.

Izumo grumbled as he took another sip of sake.

Kurenai pulled away from Asuma long enough for a suggestion, "You can talk. Talking's good."

Izumo and Mitsu gave her incredulous faces.

After downing what seemed to be her umpteenth shot of sake, Mitsu slumped in her seat as she tried to think of a way to get to Izumo without getting caught. Then she remembered something fun she had not done since she was fifteen. Sneering mischievously, Mitsu scooted a little further down.

"Soooo...," Mitsu rolled her eyes in thought, "How was your day, dear? Did you have a good day at work?" Mitsu used her tv housewife voice and fluttered her eyelashes playfully.

The guys across the table broke into grins.

Underneath the table, she took the shoe off her right foot and tentatively searched for a pants leg.

Laughing, Izumo gave her a wink, "Just fine. Although, I did keep getting distracted."

Bingo! Mitsu's toe found a shoe and she carefully raised her foot until she found cloth.

"Oh? And what could possible distract you?"

The chuunin gave her a sly grin and licked his lips.

As her toe started kneading the muscled calf, Kakashi coughed and flipped a page of his book.

(Cough) "He's further left." (Cough)

'Shit!' Blushing, Mitsu jerked her foot back.

"What was that, Kakashi," asked Izumo.

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, "Nothing, just coughing randomly." (Cough! Cough!)

Hoping no one else saw what she was doing, Mitsu took a deep breath and tried again. Her toe slowly stroked another pants leg as she slid up to his knee. This time she was rewarded with a surprised Izumo glancing underneath the table. He looked up to see Mitsu hiding a smirk with one hand and her shoulders shaking from giggling. Her foot moved from circling his knee to reaching his inner thigh.

'Note to self: Mitsu plus Alcohol equals Big Fun!' Grinning like a maniac, Izumo caught her foot with one hand and gave her heel a tickle with the other.

Genma and Yamato looked up from their drinks when they heard Mitsu yip. They continued to watch her as her face strangely turned several shades of red.

Yamato was going to ask the woman if she was alright, when he felt a nudge from Genma. With his senbon, the ninja pointed towards Izumo's lap. Yamato glanced down to see Izumo lightly brushing his fingers over Mitsu's foot. Yamato just rolled his eyes and sighed.

Genma snickered into his sake, "Just sit back and enjoy the show."

The men watched Mitsu fight hard not to burst. Her red pupils were swirling erotically as she stared into Izumo's brown eyes. Her teeth bit hard on her lower lip and her cleavage was heaving in the tight corset. Pulling closer to the table, Yamato and Genma were fascinated to see this new bloodline limit in action. Even Kakashi had carefully moved his forehead protector to watch this with his Sharingan. Izumo absolutely loved seeing Mitsu's eyes in this state and he could tell the other fellows were being affected too.

When Izumo stopped to give her a break, Mitsu sighed deeply in relief then narrowed her ruby eyes. All four men across the table gulped at the sounds of her heavy sighs.

"You bad boy," she whispered seductively. Genma groaned as he chewed on his senbon harder.

Sneering, Izumo responded with more tickles on the arch of her foot. Kurenai caught Mitsu's high pitched giggles this time and turned away from Asuma.

"Hey, what's going on?"

The table jumped when Mitsu's knee banged into the top and Izumo grabbed for his drink, trying to look as innocent as possible.

Anko and Kotetsu looked over at a flushed Mitsu, "What was that?"

"Heh bus-sted," whispered Genma.

Shaking their heads, Anko and Kurenai sighed disappointedly at Mitsu.

"Come on then," Anko gestured to Kotetsu to move then pulled Mitsu out of the booth, "Since you have so much energy, we should help you get your ya ya's out."

Six pairs of men's eyebrows shot up and grins went all around.

Kurenai slapped her boyfriend in the arm before sliding out of the booth, "Not those ya ya's, you bakas!"

Anko and Kurenai had to lead a still dizzy Mitsu over to the jukebox. As they made several selections, Anko told Mitsu her plan.

"Dancing should keep you a safe enough distance from Izumo," whispered Anko, "And you could entertain both Hyuuga and Izumo at the same time."

Kurenai gave Anko a suspicious look, "You're not planning, what I think you're planning, Anko?"

"What? Girl on girl dancing throws boys into a frenzy! I bet Hiashi-sama's not immune to that either," Anko wiggled her eyebrows at Mitsu, "Two happy guys at the same time. You gotta like that!"

Mitsu stared at her friend, "Even though I know what you meant, that sounded so wrong."

"I don't know, Anko," Kurenai started backing up to the booth.

Anko sneered, "Come on, Kurenai. You do this and Asuma will be all over you tonight. If it helps, you can be in the middle."

Laughing, Kurenai and Mitsu shook their heads in disbelief.

"So so wrong," giggled Mitsu.

The music started up and the girls danced to the middle of the floor. Mitsu twirled as Kurenai shook her shoulders to the beat. Anko pulled from behind and leaned close to Kurenai's back. More people came on the dance floor with them as the party music filled the bar. For a few songs, Izumo and Hiashi closely watched Mitsu rock her hips and shimmy her shoulders with Kurenai. Once in a while, she would glance at each fellow to see if she still had their attention. It made her giddy, knowing she was entertaining both men without excluding either one.

When the music changed to a heavy sexy beat, Anko decide to take it to another level. She moved around Kurenai and curled her finger at Mitsu. The burgundy beauty grinned playfully and danced closer to her friend. Both giving Izumo and Kotetsu a wink, Mitsu and Anko laced their hands together as their bodies writhed in a heated dance. Hooting, Genma and Yamato leaned in to get a better view of the dancers.

Mitsu raised her arms to rest on Anko's shoulders, while Anko's hands traveled to the burgundy beauty's back. All the men's eyes focused on how the two women's legs had become intertwined and their pelvis' rocked together in a teasing manner.

When Anko dipped Mitsu low, she felt Anko's hand slide down her thigh and hook under her knee, at the same time lifting Mitsu's leg. As she slowly pulled back up, Mitsu saw a growling Izumo biting down on his fist. Once fully upright, she turned her head to see Hiashi's mouth dropped open and his cup frozen in mid-air.

"This is fun," giggled Mitsu as she spun around to have Anko grasp her hips from behind, "Their both on edge."

Anko snickered in Mitsu's ear, "Told ya'. Kotetsu-kun's shaking like a leaf."

Mitsu turned to see the blue-haired nin gazing lustfully with his breathing gone ragged.

Then the two women pulled Kurenai in between them, with Mitsu face to face and Anko peering over Kurenai's shoulder. As all three slowly circled their hips in unison, Kurenai raised her arms over her head while keeping eye contact with Asuma. The leaf-nin's cigarette had gone limp in his gaping mouth and threatened to fall onto his lap.

Tsunade and Shizune were laughing up a storm as Hiashi choked on his sake. The Hyuuga decided to put his cup down until the girls stopped dancing. Just to be on the safe side.

The song's beat sped up near the end, the girls picked up the pace as well. Mitsu pulled back a bit to round her hips lower to the floor. Anko actually spread her feet wider, bent backwards to put one arm on the floor for support as she bounced her pelvis near one of Kurenai's legs. The girls could tell from all the whistles and catcalls, the crowd loved how the snake kunoichi was getting down and dirty.

With the song finished, the women decided now would be good for a break. As Anko gave the thoroughly turned on guys at their booth an air-kiss, the women headed to the bar to order some more drinks.

"Just a soda for me," Mitsu told the bartender.

Kurenai frowned at her friend, "A soda? I thought you were having a good time?"

Mitsu sipped from her glass, "I am, but I still have to get home. I'd rather be sober for that."

Anko looked her friend over, deep in thought.

"You know, your right," the snake kunoichi finally said, "In fact, you should go now. You wouldn't want to deal with Hiashi and Izumo both asking to escort you home. This way they can rest assured you didn't go home with someone other than them."

Mitsu nodded, "Good point. Could you say good night to Izumo for me. And that I hope to see him soon." She waved good bye to her friends and headed out the doors.

Anko raised an evil eyebrow, "Oh, you might see him sooner than you think." Keeping an eye Hiashi, Anko and Kurenai made their way to the booth.

"Oi," Izumo looked around, "Where's Mitsu?"

Anko leaned over the table and whispered, "She took off for home. I'd recommend slipping out the bathroom window, if you want avoid the Hyuuga." She carefully kept watch on Hiashi as Izumo excused himself.

Within seconds, Izumo had shimmied out the window and was speeding over the rooftops. He found her strolling along, enjoying the night breeze. Checking his breath first, he then flickered from the roof and appeared right behind her. There was the sound of ringing metal as Mitsu's and Izumo's kunai clashed.

Mitsu chuckled as she looked Izumo in the eye, "Do you make it a habit to sneak up on girls?"

"Only if they're armed," he gave her a sly wink that made her heart skip a beat, "May I escort the lady home?" Putting his kunai away, he bowed slightly and hooked his left arm.

"You may," she wrapped her right arm in his and gave it a squeeze. He lifted her left hand and softly kissed it. They walked down the street, quietly enjoying each others company.

As the continued on, their steps became slower... their bodies, closer. She started leaning into him and he would occasionally brush his lips on her hair.

He led her the long way round, passing through Konoha Park. If she noticed, Mitsu never said a word. They stopped for a moment to enjoy the water fountain then headed for the North Gate.

Mitsu felt so lightheaded with Izumo. She could feel her spine shiver when he gazed at her and her stomach flip flop with his every touch. Her body ached every time she thought about seeing what was underneath his clothes. She could feel her panties were already slick with her desire.

Her body was screaming at her, "You want him? Go get him!" All of it was maddening. She wanted him and right now, she had him all to herself.

Before the gate even loomed in the horizon, Mitsu held back and looked up at Izumo, who wondered why she stopped walking.

Her mind was a flurry of emotions and options rushed at her like a torrent river. Prying eyes and social principles faded away and all Mitsu could think of was how much she desired Izumo.

Pressing closer, he looked into her ruby eyes and found mere want had already started to mottle her pupils. Izumo caught his breath as he reached for her cheek. He barely had to touch her to get a strong reaction.

Mitsu nestled her cheek into his hand, even sending her tongue to lick the open palm. Izumo licked his own lips before crashing them onto hers. All the pent up emotions and sexual tension of the entire night were let loose as they openly kissed their needs.

Things heated up as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he scooped her up. He carried her from the walking path to the shadows underneath the trees. Once he laid Mitsu down on the soft grass, Izumo pulled his jacket off for her to rest on. He hovered over her body, planting kisses on her neck. Izumo pulled back when she lightly pressed on his shoulders.

Smiling at his confused expression, she kept her eyes focused on him as her fingers started untying the laces of her bustier.

He felt his pants tighten as his lustful brown eyes were magnetically drawn to her task, then she leaned to his ear and whispered, "I want you."

'Oh kami,' he moaned internally. He immediately started removing his clothing as Mitsu matched his speed in getting undressed. Pants and tops went flying around them as they relished the view of the other's naked body.

Within moments, they were skin to skin. This time Mitsu attacked Izumo's neck and lost herself in his masculine scent. She loved how his skin tasted when she bit down on his shoulder and her hands grasped at his muscled arms, sending thrills in her own body.

Izumo shuddered in her arms as he pressed his hardened length against her thigh. He pushed himself lower and reached for her breasts with both hands. His fingers massaged and pinched on her nipples as he watched her turn into putty in his hands.

Mitsu moaned when his tongue lapped against a nipple and his teeth occasionally nipping the tender skin. After going to the other breast, he stretched his hand down to her slit covered in burgundy curls and found it wet and warm.

Growling his desire, Izumo moved from her breasts and slid himself down to face her sex. He slid his tongue inside her folds and heard her gasp uncontrollably.

He stroked his tongue against her clit and slipped a finger inside her to search for her g-spot. Izumo could feel just how slick and tight she was with only one finger. Kami, he wanted her... he wanted her right now!

It was at that moment, he heard her cry out his name. He committed that spot to memory then teased her by adding another finger.

Mitsu was in a storm of red haze and she wanted to take her lover with her, "Izumo-kun, take me... take me now."

He pulled himself up and positioned himself at her entrance.

"Are you sure, Mitsu-chan," he whispered against her lips. She answered him with a rough kiss and a begging mew. Mitsu broke from his lips with a gasp when Izumo pushed himself inside.

Izumo hissed as he fought for self-control. She felt so good... so, so tight and warm.

Mitsu whimpered as she felt her body filled by Izumo's length. Nine years, nine long years since she felt a man inside her and she was loving every bit of it.

Izumo began to slowly thrust into Mitsu, who in turn rolled her hips into him. Their moans and heavy breathing filled the night air as they pulled each other closer and closer to completion.

In the back of Izumo's mind, his conscience was reminding him of the condom in his pants' back pocket. He should stop now and put it on before things get too complicated.

Another part of Izumo's mind spoke up, whispering all the selfish thoughts he never wanted to admit to. If Mitsu did become pregnant with his child then the Hyuuga would have to back off. That tight-assed clan would never let Hiashi marry Mitsu then. She would be his... all his, not Hyuuga Hiashi's, but Kamizuki Izumo's. Izumo sped up as he felt the primal thrill of staking his claim on the burgundy beauty and almost lost control.

He pressed his thumb onto Mitsu's clit and started rubbing the sensitive flesh.

"Oh Kami-sama," Mitsu cried out as she fell over the edge. Her orgasm crashed into her and Izumo felt her walls quiver and tighten around him. His own eyes went blind as they shut tight from his peaking. In a split second, Izumo's voice joined Mitsu's screams, with his climax spilling his sperm deep inside her.

He fell on top of her completely exhausted, but both felt wonderfully satiated. As she waited for the swirls in her eyes to die down, Mitsu ran her fingers through his hair and Izumo laid his head on her chest.

The two lovers were so caught up in the afterglow, they failed to notice a furious chakra signature bearing down on them.

Suddenly, Izumo was ripped out of Mitsu's arms and thrown into a nearby tree trunk. The chuunin shook off his blurred vision to see Hyuuga Hiashi glaring hatefully down at him.

"Izumo-kun," cried Mitsu, she quickly pulled the chuunin's jacket around her and stood up from the shadows. She gasped when she saw Hiashi's wrathful pearl eyes boring into her.

"Hiashi-sama," she backed up fearfully until she hit a tree. Feeling like a rabbit caught by a rabid wolf, Mitsu shivered in fright. They could feel his chakra raging around him and it was clear he was at his boiling point.

Izumo picked himself up and his hands went through a flurry of signs. Hiashi activated his Byakugan and focused his chakra as he went into his fighting stance.

"NO DON'T," screamed Mitsu.

"HYUUGA!" Tsunade's voice boomed through the trees. The Hokage and Shizune ran down from the park path then stepped between the shinobi.

Kakashi flickered next to Izumo with his forehead protector pushed up from his Sharingan eye and Izumo's pants in one hand, "I told you not to get any ideas, Izumo."

"Enough," Tsunade frowned as she assesed the situation, "Shizune, you will escort Mitsu-san home." Her assistant bowed and helped Mitsu gather up her clothing. Mitsu gave both Izumo and Hiashi a worried look before Shizune led her away.

"Hatake, you will make sure Kamizuki gets home and stays there." The Copy Nin gave a short salute as Izumo quickly put on his pants. Both shinobi blurred away as the Hokage turned to Hiashi.

The Hokage waved a hand towards the North Gate, "Shall we then." Hiashi grunted angrily then stalked out of the trees.

"I had every right," growled the clan leader as they made their way to the Hyuuga Estate, "You should not have interfered!"

"The boy is no match for you and you know it," the blond said calmly, "Is that how you want Mitsu-san to see you? An overgrown bully on a power trip?"

"Do you think I still care what Mitsu thinks," he hissed back.

Tsunade tilted her head at Hiashi, "Yes, you do. Or you would have sliced the boy clean in half."

"Hn!"

"Well Hyuuga, I suggest you get some sleep and think things through in the morning. The alcohol in your system should be gone by then."

"I'm not drunk."

The Hokage huffed, "Could've fooled me."

When Sakura opened the front door, her mouth dropped open to see Mitsu walk in, half naked with only Izumo's examiner's jacket covering her body.

"Uh oh," whispered the pinkette.

Shizune smirked, "No kidding. Hyuuga-sama is not a happy camper, I can tell you that."

Sakura paled, "He was there?"

The older woman nodded as Sakura winced in sympathy for Mitsu.

Turning bright red, Mitsu hurried to her bedroom and threw a nightshirt and shorts on. She came back out to the living room to find Shizune handing her a glass of water and a pill.

"Tsunade-sama always brings extras every Ladies Night," the brunette explained, "Usually, there's one or two ladies who need them."

Mitsu nodded, "I see." She stared momentarily at the pill sitting in the middle of her palm.

'I could take it,' she thought, 'Or I could try my luck and see if I get pregnant. If I do, Hiashi-sama can have a proper excuse not to marry me. After tonight, I most certainly don't deserve him. I wouldn't blame him for taking back the engagement offer right away.'

Mitsu thought back to Izumo, 'But if I do get pregnant, what would Izumo-kun do? Would he abandon me? No... that's not like him. But then he might not feel the same way about me after this. There's no way to be sure what his reaction would be. I better take it to be safe. Whatever happens, a new baby will only make things more complicated.'

Sakura and Shizune watched the woman debate in her mind whether or not to take the birth control. It was obvious Mitsu was not afraid of the commitment to raising a child. She had the finances to help her, but the implications to the two men in her life raised serious questions.

Both medic-nins breathed a sigh of relief when they saw her pop the pill in her mouth and finish off the water.

"Arigato, Shizune-san. I apologize for all the trouble. I'm never going out drinking again."

Shizune chuckled, "Oh ho, never say never, Mitsu-san. Here." She handed Mitsu a small box with some birth control pills inside, "Just in case. We can always get more. Good night."

Sakura waved as she followed her big sister out the door, "Good night, Mitsu-san. Sleep well."

Mitsu closed the front door and locked it. She leaned back and looked at the box in her hand, "Yeah... right."

Back at an apartment building, Kakashi watched Izumo fumble through his pants looking for his keys, "So now that you've had her. Are you planning to back off?"

"Excuse me," Izumo narrowed his eyes angrily at his friend, "No, I am not backing off. Besides what business is it of yours what I do?"

The Copy Nin sighed as he scratched behind his neck, "I usually don't get involved in stuff like this, but this will affect my student and I want to be prepared on how to help her deal with the situation."

"I have no intention of hurting Mitsu and Kana," Izumo finally said as he unlocked his apartment, "In fact, I think I may be falling for Mitsu."

"Is that so," Kakashi crossed his arms, "Then here's the big question for you, Izumo. Are you willing to see this courtship all the way through? Because you would be asking Mitsu to sacrifice a secure future with Hiashi for an uncertain future with you."

Leaving Izumo to his dark and lonely apartment, Kakashi walked away, his voice echoing down the hall, "Think about it."


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own Naruto

Lemon alert. There is a lemon in the chapter.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 11**

Footsteps echoed through the dark corridors of an underground lair, as a young man of twenty-two calmly made his way down a maze full of traps and triggers. He hand would occasionally graze certain spots or sidestep particular stepstones until he reached his destination.

He opened the door to a lush apartment nearly filled to the brim with scrolls and books. The piles of information surrounded a curtained bed containing one sleeping Orochimaru. The young man sat the tray of food, medicine, and vials on a nightstand and pushed aside the curtain.

A golden eye slid open and turned to the opening, "Kabuto, has Sasuke returned?"

"Not as of yet, my lord. He is due the day after tomorrow. I brought you breakfast and your medicine."

He helped the deathly pale man sit up on his bed and handed him the small plate of rice and fish.

"I'm afraid I may need more blood samples, my lord," said Kabuto as he readied the vials and needle.

Orochimaru merely grunted as he picked up his chopsticks. His hands quivered for a moment as he regained his control before setting into the food.

Pulling up the left sleeve, Kabuto disinfected the thinning skin then pulled out a rubber tie. Orochimaru barely batted an eye as Kabuto wrapped it around his master's left arm, tapped it lightly to raise a vein, and quickly stuck the first needle in.

As the blood came pouring out sluggishly into the attatched vial, Kabuto frowned deeply. He was sure he picked a strong vein. Has his master's circulation slowed down that much? No wonder Orochimaru barely moved nowadays.

Kabuto pulled out the first vial when it was full then, while keeping the needle in the arm, quickly attached the second vial. It should not have taken this long, but the medic-nin really needed these samples.

"Be sure to finish the medicine, my lord," said Kabuto as he kept an eye on the blood's rate, "Your body needs the extra attention. Not just rest."

He pulled out the needle and vial with it only two thirds full.

'It will have to do,' he sighed as he healed the tiny pinprick on the arm, 'I shouldn't take too much. It looks like he needs every drop.'

Kabuto placed the medicine on the nightstand and picked up the tray with the vials, "I should have the results sometime tomorrow afternoon, my lord. In the meantime, I will keep an ear out for Sasuke."

"Be sure you do," wheezed Orochimaru as he slid back down the bed.

Kabuto's eye twitched in annoyance that his master refused the medicine, but then maybe Orochimaru knew that the minimal healing effects of the pills were temporary.

The medic-nin reached his lab with barely a disturbance in his route and immediately threw himself into his work. Hours later and after staring at medical data tirelessly, Kabuto heard the swishing of robes, alerting him that one of the many faceless servants was coming with his dinner.

Sighing, he switched out the pages he was working on and replaced it with useless paperwork.

The servant gingerly knocked on Kabuto's lab door before opening it, "Your dinner, Kabuto-san."

The medic nin stood up and took the tray from the short man, "You may go."

The servant bowed and walked out the door. Kabuto noticed the lack of curtesy and was about to close the door when he felt the smallest whisper of an air disturbance behind him.

Kabuto rolled his eyes and sighed, "You've been spending too much time in Konoha, Sasuke. It's the only explaination why you persist in trying to assassinate me, despite strict orders from Lord Orochimaru to stay to your training."

Red sharingan eyes opened from out of a dark corner, "I am training, bootlicker."

"You must have run into Naruto again. You're never this talkative." Kabuto left the door open and sat his dinner tray at his desk.

"I ran into more than that," sneered Sasuke as he walked out of the shadows.

The medic nin sniffed at the wierd mixture of food on his plate and sighed, "Is that so? I trust you have the information, Lord Orochimaru requested." He raised an empty palm waiting for nonexistant scroll.

Sasuke's face twitched in hate and annoyance, "I lost it on the way out."

Kabuto smirked as he pulled his hand back, "Really? My, my! The master's favorite brat has actually failed a mission. This is going to be good."

"But," interjected the Uchiha boy, "I have most of the information he wanted memorized and a bonus."

The medic-nin chuckled, "A bonus? How nice for you. Let's hope it's enough to save your hide."

"Oh, it'll be enough, but this tibdit won't be saving my life. More like saving Orochimaru's."

Kabuto narrowed his eyes as he turned to look at the Uchiha brat, "Lord Orochimaru does not need saving."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow haughtily, "Really. I haven't seen him in a while. He rarely came out of hiding to give me training for the past year. That last fight with my old team seemed to have tired him more than I expected. You're his personal doctor. Tell me, in that current body do you think he'll have enough strength to take over mine?"

Kabuto stood up with rage boiling just under his calm exterior, "More than enough, brat."

"Heh, I doubt that," Sasuke sneered into Kabuto face, "But there may be another temporary solution."

"Explain," the young medic-nin demanded.

"I found a young Uchiha girl in Konoha. Apparently the Hokage had been keeping her underwraps, but I ran into her on this misson."

Kabuto scoffed as he crossed his arms, "How do you know she's a Uchiha?"

The dark-haired missing-nin smirked, "Because she has the sharingan and better yet, she's only a child... no more than eight, maybe nine years old."

Kabuto dropped his arms and walked up to the brat, "Are you sure?"

Sasuke nodded, "Obviously she's still weak in power, but her body is in perfect physical condition. Unlike that piece of shit, Orochimaru's slithering around in."

"There was only one other in Uchiha history to achieve the sharingan at such a young age," Kabuto mused aloud.

Sasuke's face tightened at that comment and Kabuto smirked in satisfaction to see the brat uncomfortable, "I'm sorry did bring up something taboo. I didn't think Itachi was a faux pas."

Kabuto felt the tiny sting of a kunai flying past his cheek and snipping a tuft of hair from behind, "Aw, I touched a nerve." A soft hiss from Kabuto's healing chakra, reminded Sasuke why he really wanted to kill the snobby bastard.

"I'll be sure to notify Lord Orochimaru of your findings. Here!" Kabuto handed Sasuke a blank scroll.

"Remember everthing you can and try to keep it neat. Not all doctors can read sloppy handwriting."

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The stars still hung from the sky as Kotetsu made his way down the building hallway. The morning sun would arrive in a few hours and he hoped to catch a few hours rest. The silence inside apartment was broken by the rattling from Kotetsu's keys.

Izumo remained motionless on the couch as he stared at the ceiling. He laid there all night, thinking about Mitsu and what the life of a shinobi demanded. That was not what she deserved.

Kotetsu walked through the door then paused at the sight of his best friend moping on the couch, "Hey, bud! What's up? From what Anko guessed from last night, I shouldn't be the only one with a shit-eating grin on my face."

Izumo groaned as he remembered the passion he and Mitsu shared only a few hours ago and how shamefully he tried to keep her by impregnating her.

"I take it, it didn't go well," Kotetsu sat himself next to Izumo.

"It was fantastic," moaned Izumo as he stared at the ceiling, "We were like animals."

Kotetsu chuckled and gave his friend shove, "So why all the doom and gloom?"

"Hiashi-sama found us."

His teamate winced, "Ouch. That's a mood killer. Got an ass-whoopin', huh?"

Izumo shook his head, "The Hokage stopped him. But he was pissed off beyond belief."

"Okay. Aside from having the Hyuuga clan leader screaming for your head, I don't see what the problem is."

Izumo raised his fists to his forehead and growled through his clenched teeth, "I have to break it off."

"What! Why?"

The dark-haired nin turned to his friend, "Kakashi told me to back off for Mitsu's sake. That she would have a better future with Hiashi-sama, then with me."

"Uh, I don't..."

"And he's right. I'm no where near as strong as Hiashi-sama," said Izumo to Kotetsu's surprise, "The next dangerous mission could be my last. It'd be like widowing Mitsu all over again."

"So you're just going to let her go? Just like that?"

Izumo nodded as he took a deep breath for courage.

Kotetsu crossed his arms and frowned, "Kana will be upset. She was really rooting for you."

'_We_ were rooting for you,' thought Kotetsu angrily, 'Anko's not going to be happy.'

Izumo stood up and headed for the door, "She'll get over it. And the sooner this is done, the sooner they'll both get over it."

Kotetsu watched his friend leave and sighed as the door slammed shut, "Maybe, but will you get over it?"

Mitsu woke to insistant tapping on her window. Her head ached with the beginnging of a hangover, but she focused her eyes enough make out Izumo's face peering from the darkness.

Grinning, she was about to open the window when he pointed to the front door and left her to stand alone at the sill. Her smile faded as she realized something was wrong.

Quickly downing some painkillers for her head and using some mouthwash, Mitsu ran to open the front door and found Izumo nervously fidgeting outside.

"Hi," he mumbled. He ducked his head to block out her concerned expression. His bangs hid most of his face as he looked at his shuffling feet and dug his hands deep into his pockets.

The Izumo from yesterday scooped her up every chance he got, not purposefully keep three feet away.

Mitsu felt her heart clench as she recognized the signs of the breakup speech. How many boyfriends did she go through this with before meeting Keitaro?

'Too many,' she thought.

"Hi, Izumo-kun," She kept a small smile on her face, as she waited for those dreaded words to start.

Fighting to keep his resolve, the chuunin ran a hand through his hair and prayed for strength, "Last night was something, huh?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

"Uh listen, we all had too much to drink and maybe what happened wasn't such a good idea."

Mitsu calmly replied, "I see."

"So I'm hoping that we could just be friends... just friends," Izumo did not look her in the eyes. He knew if he did, he would break down. A part of him already was screaming for him to stop.

Any light of hope remaining in her heart died as she dove into her shinobi-self for strength, "I understand. Just friends." She gave him a soft smile that he refused to look at.

"So I'll see you around then, Uchiha-san." He quickly turned around and blurred away into the darkness before she saw the painful expression on his face.

'She took that pretty well,' he thought as he bounded over Konoha's rooftops, 'Too well. But then, she's been through the death of a husband. That had to be worse.'

Mitsu's fake smile slid off her face as she closed the front door. Like a silent puppet, she dragged herself to the kitchen to get some water. Her face showed perfect calm and resolve, but her grip shook so much, she dropped the cup down on the table.

"Come on," she shouted at herself, "You've been through the exact same thing before and much worse. You're a big girl! Get over it!"

Unfortunately, the outburst of anger broke open the dam and her emotions rushed out in a flood. Before she knew it, Mitsu's face scrunched up painfully and she wrapped her arms around herself in solace. Her body refused to listen to reason as the tears flowed freely from her ruby eyes.

The first man in nine years she let get close, turned around and dumped her in less than six hours. That was a new record for her. Losing her husband in less than a year of marriage was god-awful, but there was no shame in it. How was she going to face her friends with this humiliation or worse how was Kana going to take this?

'She was the one who approved Izumo before I even dared to think about dating,' Mitsu grabbed a box of tissues from the pantry.

The more she tried to hold the tears in the more her emotional suffering turned physical. The agonizing pain seared across Mitsu's chest and constricted her breathing as she tried to walk down the hallway. This pain was worse than anything she experience in any of her missions and she went through some bad shit. Even that seducer mission turned sour did not hold a candle to this. She managed enough strength to collapse onto the couch and shakily curl up to a pillow.

In the darkness of her room, Kana sat on the floor. She hugged her own knees in self-comfort. Little tears streaked her cheeks as she quietly joined her mother in the heartbreak.

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A few hours later, the sun peaked over the Konoha trees and lit up the village with a brand new day. Along with Mitsu and Izumo, there was one more person who wished for the sun to just... go... away!

"Good morning," Shoda carefully skirted around the ruminating clan leader, who sat at his desk with a whopper of a hangover.

"Hnnnnnnn," was all Hiashi managed with his head resting in his hands.

The Hyuuga Elder handed Hiashi a cup of water and two painkillers. Hiashi grimaced as he swallowed the pills. His throat felt dry as a desert and his stomach wanted to empty itself again.

"I read the guards' reports from last night, Hiashi-sama."

A short growl rumbled from Hiashi. The last thing he needed right now was a reminder of that horrible night. Finding a promiscuous pre-fiance in a drunken shinobi's arms ripped Hiashi's heart apart and all he wanted to do was forget he heard of Uchiha Mitsu.

Shoda pulled out the paperwork and skimmed the information, "They mentioned Hokage-sama escorted you home for assaulting a chuunin."

"Hn."

"There seemed to be a good amount of alcohol involved with all parties."

Hiashi laid his head on the cool desk surface, "Hn."

The Elder raised an eyebrow at Hiashi's deed, but continued, "And that Mitsu-san was the cause of your outburst."

"HRRRRNNN!"

Shoda was impressed at how Hiashi combined a growl with the Hyuuga verbal staple, "Perhaps I should send a letter of apology to the chuunin. Did you happen to catch his name while you kicked... I mean, when you confronted the young man?"

Hiashi rocked his forehead on the desk, indicating a negative.

"I see. Perhaps the Hokage has that information, seeing that the boy is her personal assistant."

"Hn?"

"Yes, she mentioned it to one of the guards last night. She said something about any more assaults from the Hyuuga clan on her shinobi would invoke a reprisal."

"HN!" The Hokage's wrath on top of betrayal would be the cherry on this perverse day.

"Aside from her apprentices, the Hokage only has two personal assistants. I remember reading in the past week of the Hokage's assistants making several visits to the Uchiha home. One fellow in particular was seen in the company of Mitsu-san and Kana-san several times. I'll look through the weeks records or better yet go ask the day guards."

Shoda refilled Hiashi's cup with more cold water, "I'll be right back. Be sure to take in more liquids, sir. I hope Mitsu-san has enough sense to do the same for HER hangover." Then Shoda left the study. The Hyuuga Elder crossed his fingers and hoped his hints made it through Hiashi's foggy mind.

Hiashi slowly sipped his water as the medicine began to numb his throbbing head, "He's the Hokage's personal assistant. No wonder Tsunade was so protective."

He smirked at Shoda's last comment, "Mitsu with a hangover too. I can only hope."

Then the other hints reared their ugly heads at Hiashi, 'Several visits... one fellow seen with Mitsu AND Kana... several times.'

"Come to think of it. Didn't Mitsu dance with a chuunin at the Garden Party?" Pieces of last night's puzzle started to fit into place and Hiashi kicked himself for not seeing it sooner.

After waiting outside the door and glancing at his watch for ten minutes, Shoda returned to see Hiashi fully upright and pacing in his study, 'Looks like the hints made it through.'

"Hiashi-sama." Shoda waved a file in his hand.

The Hyuuga clan leader looked up from the floor with worry clearly shown in his eyes.

"I have a file here stating two names and descriptions of the Hokage's assistants. One Hagane Kotetsu, dark blue spiked hair with bandages across his nose and cheeks."

Hiashi searched his murky memories, "No. That Mitarashi girl was hanging off of that one."

Shoda nodded, "Then that would leave Kamizuki Izumo. Thank you, sir. I will dispatch a form letter of apology from the Hyuuga clan."

As the hazy recollection of last night slowly cleared, Hiashi sat down in his chair and mumbled in disbelief, "She called him Izumo-kun..."

"She did," asked Shoda in feigned shock, "Oh my! And to think she never told us that there were others interested in courting her."

Shoda watched in satisfaction as Hiashi squirmed in his seat, "She told me."

Shoda put his shocked face on again, "Really? Well, if she was already in love with the boy, who she'd known for only..." Shoda counted out loud, "Five days, when she came over for dinner, why didn't she simply decline our offer?"

The Hyuuga clan leader glowered and berated himself for being so stupid. He simply shrugged, as he tried to make sense of that part too.

"Hmmm," the Elder put a finger to his chin in thought, "And to think that despite all the alcohol Mitsu consumed, she still wound up in the arms of a suitor, who had been courting her since the very day of her arrival."

Hiashi stood up from his desk. He had it with Shoda's condescending tone, "I got it, Shoda-san! If anyone was cutting in, it was me. What do you suggest I do about it now?"

The Hyuuga Elder walked over to Hiashi and looked him straight in the eye, "A wise leader once said to his subordinate..." He gave Hiashi a hard flick between the eyes and pointed to the door.

"Go talk to the girl!"

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Hiashi hesitantly walked up to the Uchiha home. A million scenarios flew through his mind as he bucked up the courage to face Mitsu. The last thing he expected to see was a somber Kana plod out the front door.

The little girl stopped and looked up at the Hyuuga clan leader as if she saw him for the first time then thoughtfully examined him.

Hiashi's face remained absolutely calm despite the strange discomfort he felt. This was the first time a mere child had the courage to give him the eye, but he withstood the harsh gaze until she spoke up.

"Good morning, Hiashi-sama," she said in a clear and even tone, without any of the malice he was expecting.

"Good morning, Kana-san. Is your mother home?"

Kana nodded her head, "Yes, she is. But she might not be herself this morning. She had a busy night."

He cleared his throat nervously at her knowing statement.

"I see. Perhaps I should stop by another time. Have a good day."

Kana raised a hand, "No!"

Hiashi stopped and turned back around. The child actually barked an order at him.

'Interesting.'

"You should talk to my mom," Kana opened the front door for him, "She's confused right now."

Then little girl's face suddenly scrunched up in anger, "The hell with it, WE'RE confused!"

Tired of all the courtship bullshit she witnessed, the eight year old stalked to the man and stared up at him, "Let's get this out in the open. Mom's in love with Izumo-kun."

The little girl watched Hiashi wince at her brutal words.

"AND she's in love with you!"

This time the man could not hide his surprise. His mouth openly gaped and his eyes widened significantly.

"It's the only way to explain why she's in so much pain now. She needs someone to help her," Then Kana took a closer step to Hiashi, "But if I ever find out you hurt her like Izumo-kun did..."

The Uchiha heir flashed her sharingan at Hiashi, "You'll regret it."

If any other eight year old girl had threatened Hyuuga Hiashi, he would have laughed himself to death, but the ice in Kana's voice reminded him of a certain thirteen year old ANBU captain from many years ago.

Continuing to radiate cold fury, Kana calmly walked around the shocked Hyuuga and through the front gates.

"Definitely need to keep an eye on that one," whispered Hiashi as he watched her trudge toward the academy.

Hiashi walked into the house and looked around. He peeked into the kitchen, half expecting to see Mitsu rooting around the fridge for breakfast.

Turning his head, he noticed that the sliding glass door leading to the yard was wide open and a strange leathery slingshot hung from the door handle. Taking a glance outside, Hiashi saw a pitiful tree surrounded by eggshells and covered in dried egg yolk.

"Oh, she's going to be a handful,' mused Hiashi.

Hiashi was about to close the sliding door when he saw Mitsu through the living room window, sleeping on the couch. Used tissues sat in messy piles on the coffee table, along witha small box. Forgetting the open door, he walked into the living room to get a better look. Written on the box was the kanji, "Tsunade". Hiashi activated his byukgan to reveal several small pills inside.

'Must be some of those birth control pills by Tsunade-sama,' he realized.

Before he turned his byakugan off, he heard Mitsu mumble in her sleep and turned to look at her.

"Friends... Big girl," she grumbled at she accidently dropped the pillow she was holding.

Hiashi did a double take as he noticed something he completely missed last night. He was so intent on ripping the chuunin apart that he failed to see the change in Mitsu's chakra signiture. It was something he had not paid attention to in years, but there it was... staring at him in the face.

Mitsu was ovulating and probably started to sometime before she left the bar last night.

Ah, Ovulation! The female body's subconscious scream that only got stronger as the woman's biological clock became louder.

His memories of his late wife surfaced, reminding him of how his timid little spouse tended turned into a ravaging sex kitten for a few days a month. It was common knowledge that women count the days until their next menstrutration, but unspoken was how men count the days until their significant other's ovulation.

Hiashi watched her chakra flow carefully and surmised that her ovulation was scheduled to end a little before midnight this evening, but the rush of hormones might still affect her for the next couple days.

He took a step back to think. Copious amounts of alcohol, the influx of hormones, and strong feelings for a suitor probably sent Mitsu over the edge.

Hiashi rubbed his chin in thought, 'Would I have found myself in Mitsu's arms, if I had escorted her home? Could I have been the one dealing with a jealous rival in the morning?'

Turning off his byakugan, Hiashi decided they definitely needed to talk.

He caressed her cheek, "Mitsu-san," he whispered.

His voice went unnoticed as she continued to dream of her passionate night with Izumo.

Hiashi tried again, only to find her nuzzling her cheek into his hand. She did say she was never much of a morning person.

He leaned over her and lightly kissed her lips.

For a moment it seemed like he woke her. Her ruby orbs cracked opened for a second, but her dream of Izumo filled her eyes with swirls and her vision was foggy.

She sighed into Hiashi's palm, "A good dream," then promptly fell back to sleep.

He smiled at her stubborness. At this rate, he may have to shake her into consciousness, but she looked so peaceful. He hated to wake her abruptly.

'Perhaps more gentle touches would work,' activating his byakugan, he infused the fingers of his right hand with chakra and slowly passed the tips over her cheek and neck. Hiashi carefully stimulated the nerves along her skin with soft tendril versions of his Gentle Fist chakra.

His eyes became entranced as he watched the change in her chakra flow, especially around Mitsu's eyes and ears. He guessed her vison became impaired from the build up of too much chakra and her hearing was more acute with the increased rate the chakra passed through her inner ear.

He stared so intently at the chakra flow of her brain, he failed to see how his fingers wandered further than he intended.

A quick intake of her breath, alerted Hiashi to where he now touched. His fingertips lightly grazed over her breast and he saw the raised nipple under her nightshirt.

He continued to gently brush across her breast and watched her reactions with his own growing pleasure. This was wrong. She was still sleeping. Despite his conscience screaming, his own breath quickened at the sight of her aroused body and Hiashi wanted to see more... to touch more. Licking his lips, he moved his hand lower to her stomach then over her womb, inciting soft moans from Mitsu.

As his lusting pearl eyes drank in the sight of the burgandy woman writhing under his hand, he felt himself grow hard under his traditional Hyuuga yukata. At this point, Hiashi's mind was racing with anticipation of losing himself in the sweet embrace of sex, but his strong Hyuuga self-control held him back.

'Would she be receptive when she finally wakes? The child hinted at her mother's need for comfort,' Hiashi desperately reasoned, 'I guess I'll find out.' His chakra enhanced fingers slipped under the elastic of her shorts and reached into her already aching sex.

Mitsu gasped and her eyes fluttered open. She could barely see anything, but she felt someone fondling her with one hand and pulling her shorts off with the other. It felt so good and right now she needed to feel good.

She looked up and focused her ruby eyes on Hiashi's face just as he covered her body with his own. His pearly gaze burned as he hungrily fell on her mouth.

Relishing his soft lips, Mitsu kissed Hiashi back and pushed her hips into his hand. This was not the same man from last night. That Hiashi was enraged and furiously attacking Izumo-kun.

'No,' she remembered, 'Not -kun, Izumo-san.' Her heartache returned with a vengence and Mitsu poured all her sorrow and anger into her kiss on the man, who stayed with her.

'Why,' she thought, 'I hurt him so much.'

When he pulled away for air, she looked at him with her swirling pupils, "Hiashi, what are you doing here?"

His eyebrow quirked evilly and smirked, "Giving you a good dream." He slipped down her body and pushed up her nightshirt before plunging his tongue into her wet folds.

"AH!" Her gasp echoed through the house and her panting voice filled the air.

Her loud moans and whines further excited Hiashi, encouraging him to twist and flick his tongue faster. His byakugan exposed the flows of her chakra through her lower body, allowing him to see exactly where her g-spot lay. With one finger, he pushed inside her and directly stimulated it with precise chakra bursts.

"OH MY GOD, HIASHI!"

He saw her chakra pulse, indicating her impending orgasm. Hiashi intesified the chakra in his finger while adding a second.

Nonsensical words poured from Mitsu as she screamed her orgasm to the world.

Growling, Hiashi continued to alternately lick and suck on her clit, extending the intense waves of pleasure. He watched her back arch several times and felt her muscles convulse erratically around his fingers.

As Hiashi removed his hand, Mitsu worked hard to get oxygen into her lungs. The burgandy beauty found herself not floating down from her high, but fighting desperately to remain conscious.

While she recovered, Hiashi quickly untied his robes and threw off his clothes. His byakugan remained activated through the whole thing and he continued to carefully watch her body's chakra.

He pulled himself over Mitsu, who was barely able to zero in on his handsome face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him for a kiss. Tasting the result of her orgasm on Hiashi's mouth, Mitsu feverishly sucked his lips clean.

Hiashi shivered in anticipation as her hands and arms pulled him in a tight embrace. Craving the same release, he pulled her legs open and drove his length inside her.

'Oh Kami,' he groaned with the euphoria of feeling her enclosed sex around him.

Mitsu's own delighted moan echoed in Hiashi's ear as he panted into her neck. Attempting to regain control, he focused on kissing and sucking on her pulse points along her neck. He stopped on one particular spot that made her hiss.

Hiashi eyes closed as he began to thrust into her at a fast pace. Her already sensitive cervix welcomed the forceful pushing and created a whole new build up for another orgasm.

She felt her body tense right before she fell into another heartracing release, "HIASHI!"

Feeling her constrict around his length, Hiashi kept just enough self-control to send a thumb to her clit and stimulated her orgasm again with his chakra. His voice strained as he whispered her name repeatedly as he pumped harder into her. All of sudden with eyes wide, he stopped and quickly pulled out of her still spasming womb to release his seed on the couch.

Gasping for air, he looked up at Mitsu, who stared at him in disbelief.

"You didn't have to do that," she whispered.

With glazed pearl eyes, he pulled himself up to give her a soft kiss, "I know, but no birth control is one hundred percent and I didn't want to give you another problem to worry about."

'Oh Kami,' she remembered, 'That's right, Izumo. How do I face Izumo after this?'

Her vision sharpened as she turned back to Hiashi, 'What about him? Does he think that this is an acceptance? Oh no. What have I done?' Her ruby eyes teared up as she felt another sob erupt.

Hiashi caressed her cheek in sympathy, "It's alright. I'm not sixteen years old. I know you're still confused. This was just comfort. That's all. I'll still be waiting for your answer. Now is not the time for decisions."

He pulled himself off her and started gathering his clothes, "By the way, I would appreciate it if you keep that chakra technique to yourself. It's a Main branch secret."

Nodding, she put a finger to her lips, "Not a soul."

Mitsu gravely watched Hiashi get dressed and walked him to the door. He gave her one last kiss, that she gratefully accepted before he headed out.

Making his way down the street, Hiashi wore a carefully constructed mask of Hyuuga stoicism, but inside he felt like a right smug bastard.

As the Hyuuga clan leader walked through his estate gates, the guards' faces developed nervous ticks. Their eyes never wavered from some imaginary point ahead of them, but their cheeks twitched erratically.

Hiashi kept walking as he frowned deeply. He noticed a lack of self-control in his guards all week. He decided to bring it up at the next clan meeting.

"Welcome back, sir," greeted Shoda as Hiashi walked into his study. The Elder sat a tray with a kettle of tea on the desk. Shoda calmly watched Hiashi gulp down the first two cups of tea before handing the clan leader a couple of papers.

"These need to be signed, Hiashi-sama. This one is to approve moving your master bedroom closer to the rock garden and the other is for necessary improvements to the room."

Hiashi downed his third cup of tea as he looked over the paperwork.

"Why am I ordering two hundred and fifty square yards of corkboard?"

Shoda took the empty cup from Hiashi and handed him a pen, "Well Hiashi-sama, a lot of our older house members value their sleep and... Mitsu-san's a little loud."

The tip of Hiashi's pen broke as he finished signing the second paper.

"Fuck."

Shoda quickly scooped up the papers and headed for the door, "That IS the idea, Hiashi-sama. And a boy this time, if you please."

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Mitsu finished her shower in time for Anko and Kurenai to ring her doorbell.

"Hang on! Hang on! Give me a minute," she rushed to find some clothes and put them on before answering the door.

Her friends gave her beaming smiles and handed her a pancake spread with red bean paste wrapped in wax paper.

"Breakfast for on the way," smiled Anko as she munched on her own pancake, "Best to see Tsunade-sama on a full stomach. Her lectures are legendary."

Mitsu bit down on the heavenly treat, "Mmmm, Arigato. I really needed that," she sighed as she locked up the house.

The other two kunoichi noticed something different about Mitsu as they walked to the Hokage Tower. Something was wrong. Her tired eyes, pink nose, even her hardly audible hiccups in her breathing indicated Mitsu was uspet.

"Mitsu, what's wrong?" Kurenai walked a little closer to Mitsu.

"And don't try to hide it, girl," Anko peered at her friend, "It's written all over your face."

Mitsu scowled as she finished off her pancake, "Izumo-san and I slept together last night."

Anko lit up, "Yes! That's great! Wait, -San?"

"So why are acting like you two broke up," said Kurenai as she also noted the suffix.

"Because we did."

"WHAT!"

"Izumo-san asked me if we could remain friends." Mitsu was proud how she kept her voice calm.

"What? The sex couldn't have been that bad," exclaimed Anko.

Mitsu grit her teeth together in an effort to keep her memories under control, "It was fantastic."

"Then why did he break it off?"

"He said it was a mistake," said Mitsu trying to sound as callous as possible, "Perhaps Hiashi-sama threatening to tear him apart scared him off. Maybe the alcohol really screwed up his judgement. I'm not sure, but that's what happened."

"Why would Hiashi-teme threaten Izumo unless... he...," Anko bit a nail, "Uh oh!"

Kurenia nodded, "Yeah! Uh, oh is right! But Izumo let Hiashi-sama get to him?"

Mitsu straightened her shoulders and cleared her throat of an impending sob, "Well, I did say that I wasn't sure if Izumo-san was ready and I was right. He wasn't."

Turning to wipe a tear before the others noticed, she took a cleansing breath then waved a hand to the Hokage Tower.

"We have an appointment to keep. Shall we?"

As Kurenai and Anko walked a few feet behind Mitsu, they gave each other silent glances. When next they see Izumo-teme, a "Chat" would be in order.

Tsunade sat in her chair as the three kunoichi stood at attention in front of her. Each woman steeled themeselves for the upcoming punishment. Mitsu had a very serious expression on her face as she tried to block last nights memories with all her might. Anko's lips smirked as she recalled the last few moments with Kotetsu, while Kurenai small smiled betrayed her thoughts of Asuma.

With list in hand, the Hokage frowned as she read aloud the result of the kunoichi's harmless night of fun.

"One black cocktail dress."

Anko shrugged nonchalantly, 'It was a cheap piece of crap anyways.'

"Hair extensions, coloring, and highlights."

"Figured that hair wasn't natural," whispered Kurenai. Mitsu's serious face cracked for a second, but she regained control again.

"Two pairs of soiled underwear."

That put growing smirks on all the kunoichi's faces.

"Three sets of psychiatric counseling for six weeks."

The three kunoichi nodded their agreement. That sounded about right.

"A full set of bar table and chairs."

Anko secretly gave Mitsu a thumbs up as the burgandy kunoichi groaned. She should have just let Izumo go home with the other woman. Save herself a lot of heartache.

"Treatment for a bruise in the shape of a high heel print."

Kurenai and Anko snickered, while Mitsu lifted her head to the ceiling and sighed, "At least someone else woke up to a bad morning."

Tsunade deepening scowl made the other two kunoichi choke back on their giggles.

"FORGING the Hokage's signiture on a bar tab for over fifty drinks."

Anko shrugged and smiled sweetly, "I ran a little short on cash."

The Hokage growled at the audacity these women had when faced with immiment punishment. Whether or not they got lucky the night before, even their male counterparts knew better than to show up with such disrespectful attitudes.

"One EXTRA LARGE bottle of sake from Iwakagure!"

That produced three very confused expressions from the kunoichi.

"Iwakagure Sake? That stuff costs a freakin' fortune! Nobody was drinking that expensive shit," cried Anko.

Tsunade grinned and pulled a bottle of that exact sake out from her desk. They watched in horror as the Hokage downed the last of the very expensive alcohol. With slightly glazed eyes, Tsunade put the bottle back and gave a loud, long belch.

Mitsu paled from the stench of the continuing burp, 'For the love of Kami,' she thought while waving a hand in front of her nose, 'No one light a match.'

Finishing her belch, Tsunade pointed a manicured finger at Anko, "That was for me having to listen to YOU sing."

"I'm not THAT bad!" Anko protested, turning to the other kunochi for support, who looked away refusing to meet her gaze.

"Well, it got me laid and thats what counts!"

Tsunade looked the unrepentant women over, "The bill will be split up into thirds. Mitsu, you're bank account could easily cover this bill several times over, but as Hokage, I have a reputation to maintain to punish reckless shinobi. After paying off your third, you will volunteer four weeks to the improvement of the genjutsu skills of our academy students. You will report to Umino Iruka at eight tomorrow morning."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Kurenai and Anko, we will find you a suitable mission to pay off the debt, but you'll both also be doing D-rank missions until you show some remorse. You're dismissed."

As Kurenai swung the door open, two familiar chuunin walked through the hallway and dumped armloads of books onto the receptionist desk. They turned around in time to see the three kunoichi standing in the Hokage's office.

Mitsu's ruby eyes automatically lit up and she gave Izumo a small wave, but he quickly turned away.

Embarrassed in front of everyone, Mitsu awkwardly pulled her hand back and tried to look everywhere, but anyone else's face.

Kotetsu narrowed his eyes at the baka he called best friend, while Kurenai and Anko quietly seethed. Tsunade frowned as she noticed how much Izumo's cold behavior hurt the lovesick kunoichi.

"Mitsu-san," said the Hokage to the retreating woman, "I still need to talk with you."

The burgandy kunoichi pulled back to face Tsunade, "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Deciding that it was time, Kurenai and Anko nodded to each other. The kunoichi waved to Mitsu and headed out the door. Making sure the door completely closed behind them, the two kunoichi then stalked up to the unsuspecting Izumo.

Feeling the killer chakra building up behind him, the chuunin turned around to find two very scary jounins cracking their knuckles loudly.

Inside the office, Tsunade got up from her desk and walked up to the remaining kunoichi, "Mitsu-san, have you considered your career once Kana has graduated from the academy. You'll have a lot of free time on you're hands with your daughter on a genin team."

Surprised, Mitsu shrugged, "Actually, Hokage-sama. I've been so concerned about hiding Kana, that I never thought about it."

Tsunade smiled, "I see. Have you thought about coming out of retirement? From what I saw last night, you're skills are still sharp and Konoha could use another shinobi."

"I'm not sure I haven't been on the field for a while, " Mitsu sighed, "I may not be up to your village's standards."

"We can always re-test you. Chances are you're chuunin rank, but we'll let you do the proving. Give it some thought, Mitsu-san. Now you're dismissed."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Mitsu bowed quickly then opened up the office doors.

Both Tsunade and Mitsu's jaws dropped at the sight of torn books flying in the air, holes in the walls, and several summoned snakes wriggling over a sticky floor.

"Hold him down, Kurenai! I just need a clear shot at him!" Anko threw another snake at Izumo's head.

"SHIT," Izumo panicked as he barely avoided Kurenai's kunai, "Kotetsu! Do something!"

His teamate smirked as he leaned on an intact wall, "I am doing something. I'm busy holding Anko's trenchcoat."

"YUUHI! MITARASHI!" The kunoichi froze as the Hokage stomped over the sticky floor, at the same time dispelling the jutsu.

"What the hell? I just gave you punishments and now your taking apart my office!" Tsunade continued to shout insults at her subordinates as Izumo bent over to recover from the assault.

Continuing to pant, he glanced up to see Mitsu gaping at the destruction then turned to him, "Are you alright, Izumo-k... uh Izumo-san." She tried to lay a hand on his shoulder, but he backed away as if her touch burned him.

"I'm fine," he said curtly, then he turned to start cleaning up the mess.

"Gomen...," she whispered with her voice shaking, "Gomenasai." She quickly headed for the stairwell and did not stop running until she reached the bottom.

Wiping her nose with her sleeve, she plopped herself pitifully on the last step, "Can this day get any worse."

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After Tsunade added the repairs to Anko and Kurenai's bills, the two kunoichi grabbed the moping Mitsu from the stairs and lugged her to the nearest bar.

"Come on," whined Mitsu, "This is how I got in trouble in the first place. Besides it's only noon. It's too early to get drunk."

Anko ordered some food and drinks then sat next to the others at a table, "You don't have to, but I sure need to. Damn, I'll be paying that bill off for months!"

"It was worth it though," mumbled Kurenai, "But I wonder why Tsuande-sama dragged Izumo into her office."

Anko waved her hand nonchalantly, "Probably to heal that bump I put on his head."

Back at the Tower, the Hokage's voice roared through the entire building.

"YOU DUMPED HER?"

"GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE! I'M GONNA PUT THAT BLOODBLISTER BACK!"

At the bar, the waitress sat their orders on the table and gave the forlorn Mitsu a pat on the hand, "Cheer up, honey. There'll be other guys."

The burgandy kunoichi raised an eyebrow, "Am I that obvious?"

"Yeah. Itadakamisu," said both women as they started in on their food.

"Itadakamisu," she whispered. Truly depressed now, Mitsu pushed her food around on her plate, eating bits and pieces once in a while.

Anko shook her head and waved a hand in front Mitsu's face, "Hey, are you going to finish that?"

"Go ahead," she pushed the plate to Anko, who dove in hungrily.

The burgandy kunoichi laid her head on the table and buried it in her arms.

"Afternoon, ladies," said a warm voice, "May we join you?"

Kurenai grinned as Asuma walked up with Genma and Kakashi.

"Of course! Please sit," Kurenai patted the seat next to her.

Genma sat next to the bummed out Mitsu, "Hey pretty lady, what's wrong? I thought Izumo would have put a great big smile on your face by now."

He looked startled as Anko and Kurenai used their hands to slash at their throats.

"What? Don't tell me he dropped her already?"

Everyone at the table groaned into their hands as Mitsu slowly raised her head.

"Dropped me already, you say."

Genma raised his hands in defense, "I didn't mean it like that, Mitsu-san."

"No? No? What did you mean then," she leaned into his face, nose to nose, with her ruby eyes flashing angrily.

The senbon-chewing shinobi thought desperately for a safe answer, "Um uh, It's just that Izumo's a guy who holds onto his ladies longer than that."

More groans and hisses of pity surrounded the sweating Genma.

"He's a dead man," whispered Asuma.

"Is that so," said Mitsu as she stood up, "So I take it that those lucky ladies are now 'Just Friends' too?"

Genma gaped like a fish out of water, but just shrugged his shoulders when his friends gestured for him to button his lip.

'Uh huh. Of course," Mitsu threw her hands up in frustration, "I am so glad this has been wonderful entertainment for Konoha."

The shinobi around the angry kunoichi felt the build up of chakra coming from her. They all licked their lips nervously as they wondered what this unstable foriegn genjutsu specialist was capable of.

Without a single hand sign flourished by Mitsu, the entire staff and patrons of the bar found themselves surrounded by an area affect genjutsu that portrayed the hell raging through her turbulent mind. The floor opened up to a barren wasteland and blood red skies, filled with black violent thunderclouds, flashed and churned in a savage storm.

"Absolutely fucking amazing! I never knew a game existed that involved getting Mitsu laid then breaking her heart so badly she ends up having rebound sex with the next man she sees," echoed her incensed voice, "Which by the way was Hiashi-sama's dubious honor."

Every eyebrow in the place raised at this tasty revelation.

"And despite having intense orgasmic sex, I still feel like complete and total shit." Her ruby eyes glowed with the vast anger that fed her illusion while the skies opened up and rained lightening around the furious kunoichi.

"It's not like I haven't been dumped before. Oh no, no, no. I've been given the 'It's not you, it's me' excuse, the 'Not really my type, but it was fun' handshake, and Kami, knows how many times I got the 'Just Friends' speech!"

"Just friends! Just friends! What kind of 'Friend' can't give a simple wave back and prefers to ignore you're very existance?"

A huge lightening bolt landed right next to the bartender, who dropped the glass he held. Just as all the shinobi raised their hands to dispel the genjutsu, Mitsu abruptly cut the chakra from the technique.

"So if any of you happen to come across Izumo-teme, you can tell him for me that he can take his 'Just Friends' speech and shove it up his ass!" Mitsu stormed out of the bar, leaving behind a very shell shocked audience.

No one was really hurt, but the civilians not used to such experiences immediately accosted the bartender for stronger drinks.

"Holy shit!" Genma put the senbon back to his mouth. He was prepared like the others to painfully stab themselves to break the genjutsu, but was very glad it never got to that point.

Kakashi replaced his forehead protector over his sharingan eye, "Hmmm, I should re-read Mitsu's file. I don't remember that bit."

Ten minutes later when the bartender finished cleaning up the broken glass, Izumo and Kotetsu walked through the bar doors to find the entire place dead silent. They glanced around and noticed the hateful glares directed towards them.

"Okay then," whispered Izumo, "Maybe we should have gone for ramen."

Kotetsu looked around and pointed to the other end of the bar, "Here comes Asuma and Genma. What's up?"

Both chuunin were surprised to see the jounins pick up Izumo by the arms and carry him out the establishment. Kurenai, Anko, and Kakashi followed after leaving money on the table.

"What the fuck did you do to her," growled Genma once they replaced Izumo on the ground.

Izumo rolled his eyes and pushed the others hands off, "Don't tell me you guys are going to chew me out too?"

"After what we just went through," Asuma crossed his arms, "You're lucky your face is still intact."

Kotetsu chuckled evilly as he watched his best friend try to defend himself.

"It was for her own good," growled Izumo as he stared at the ground, "She's better off with Hyuuga-sama."

"Don't you think she should have a say in that," said Kurenai.

"Besides she said that she slept with Hyuuga-teme this morning," Anko sneered in his face, "And she's still feels like shit."

Izumo froze as Anko's news echoed through his head, "Slept with the Hyuuga?" His left eye twitched as his mind processed the information.

"She said also something about 'Intense Orgasmic Sex' too," said Kakashi as he twisted the proverbial knife.

Kotetsu frowned then poked an angry finger at the Copy Nin, "Unbelievable, Hatake! What the hell do you think you're doing? You're the one who told him to let Mitsu go. That she should have that 'Secure Future' with Hiashi-sama."

Four heads turned to stare at Kakashi, "What?"

"Yeah," Kotetsu gestured toward Kakashi, "Who do you think put that fatalistic bullshit in Izumo's head in the first place."

Kakashi nodded in Izumo's direction, "I felt he needed to face reality before losing himself in fantasy."

Anko rushed up to the frozen chuunin and shook him violently, "You took relationship advise from Kakashi, the shinobi voted most likely to live a cold and lonely existance for the rest of his pathetic life!"

Kakashi frowned under his mask and waved a hand, "I'm right here you know."

"He may be the self-proclaimed Ladies' Man of Konoha," said Genma with a knowing smirk, "But when it comes to real love, Kakashi's got his head up his ass."

"STILL HERE!"

Kurenai walked up behind a dumbfounded Izumo and gave him a slap upside the head, "Why didn't you ask Asuma for advise?"

The shocked chuunin continued to take the abuse without a word and stood stone still.

"I did tell him I don't usually get involved in stuff like this," Kakashi scratched the back of his head, "I guess this is why."

"Hello, hello," Anko waved a hand in front of a still unresponsive Izumo, "Why doesn't he say something?"

Kotetsu peered in closely at his friend then pulled back, "He's in shock give him a few more seconds."

The realization hit Izumo like a ton of bricks. He had listened to a lonely man who could not recognize real love if it bit him on the ass.

Kotetsu counted down on his fingers, "Five, four, three, two..."

"AWWWW FUUUUUUUCK!"

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Sakura nervously figeted at the Hyuuga gates, trying to figure out what she was going to say. The pinkette's face would now and again light up with a great idea on how to ask Neji for a date then fall again to realize how corny it really was.

'Just get on with it! Wing it, if you must. I can't stand listening to all these stupid one-liners your coming up with!'

The irritated guards had been waiting for her to say something to them for fifteen minutes, but she just stood there, shuffling her feet.

Finally one of them cleared his throat to get her attention, "Ahem, Haruno-san, Is there something we can help you with?"

"Oh," Sakura jumped as she realized that the world still continued on without her, "Um, yes, Hyuuga-san. I'm here to see Neji. Is he home?"

The guard shook his head, "I'm sorry, Haruno-san, but Neji-san left a while ago. Perhaps you can find him at the training grounds with his team."

'Oi. Don't you feel like a baka.'

'Shut up!'

"Arigato, Hyuuga-san. I think I'll try there then." She gave them a quick bow and took off as fast as she could.

Sakura flew over the rooftops towards the training grouds, all the while keeping an eye out for the object of her desire. Then she felt a familiar chakra signiture appear and follow right behind her.

"Hello, Ugly," said Sai as he kept pace with the pinkette, "Finally decide to train today instead of kissing peoples boo boos."

"Go away, Sai," This was the last thing she needed. It was bad enough she was tongue tied about this date, but Sai's cutting remarks would put new meaning into the word "Humiliation".

"What's the matter, Ugly? You usually give me a few more etiquette lessons before telling me to get lost. Running out of ideas?"

Sakura grit her teeth in anger and pushed more chakra into her feet. Unfortunately, her teamate was determined to follow.

The pinkette came up on the first section of the training grounds and was surprised to find Uchiha Mitsu there kicking the shit out of a training post.

"Mitsu-san? What are you doing here?"

"Working off some stress," she hissed out her teeth before sending another punch to the thankfully dead tree.

"I take it things didn't go so well with Hiashi-sama," Sakura watched the other woman's fists stop in mid-air.

"On the contrary," she said staring into space, "He's probably the happiest guy in Konoha right now."

Then her face scowled angrily as she continued to wail on the post, "At least he has the good sense to try to work things out when things don't go his way!"

Sakura brightened, "You two made up that's great!"

"Yeah," she wheezed angrily as she did another kick combo, "It was great alright. It was great twice in a row!"

The pinketter raised her eyebrows, "Really?"

Mitsu gave a tired sigh, "Suffice it to say, Hyuugas have mad skills in everything."

That got Sakura to thinking, "Really now?"

"Hey Ugly!"

Sakura groaned and dropped her head in frustration, "Oh no... Go away, Sai!"

The dark-haired and socially clueless shinobi landed next to the pinkette and started looking Mitsu over, "Hello there, I didn't know we were letting more techni-colored freaks into Konoha. Ugly, do you two share the same hair stylist."

Sakura clamped a hand over Sai's mouth and growled in his ear, "Say anything more and I swear, I will let Mitsu-san bust your ass and happily leave you here for someone else to pick up the pieces."

Sai obediently clamped his mouth shut and gave the steaming Mitsu a quick bow.

"Heh heh," Sakura scratched the back of her head, "Boys these days. Don't mind him. He's clinically insane."

Mitsu sighed and shook her head, "It's nothing I haven't heard before. Trust me."

Sakura turned to her teamate and gave him the familiar, "You got off lucky," look.

"By the way Mitsu-san, have you seen Neji? I was told he was training with his team."

Mitsu smirked while kicking the stump, "Gonna ask him on that date, huh? Yeah, I saw him two fields over with another team. Him and Freako Jr. were going at it. So keep your heads up."

"Arigato, Mitsu-san," the pinkette was about to head out when Mitsu called out.

"Hey, Sakura!"

"Hai?"

"Is Neji part of the Main house?"

Sakura shook her head, "Lower Branch actually. Why?"

Mitsu clucked her tongue, but decided to tempt fate anyways, "When you two decide to get serious, tell him he should get creative with his bloodline limit. He's a smart boy. I'm sure he'll figure it out."

Running for the other training field, Sakura's imagination went wild with Mitsu's hints.

'Mad skills... creative with his bloodline limit. I may only be your subconscious, but even that's got me hot. Wooooo!'

'Hamamaphasheehee,' she giggled in her mind.

'Yeah,' grinned her inner self, 'What you said.'

"So you're really gonna do it, Ugly," came Sai's voice from behind, "You're gonna do the mattress mambo with Old White Eyes."

Sakura stopped in her tracks.

Unfortunately for the nearby tree, Sai was starting to learn when to duck and she missed. Although, he not yet fast enough to dodge the second blow.

Team Eight and Team Gai calmly sat in the shade during their break. Neji and Hinata were meditating, while Shino and Kiba gave Akamaru lots of scratches. Lee and Tenten had disappeared a while ago and according to Hinata's blush, were nearby enjoying each other's company.

The lovely moment was ruined when Sai's bruised and battered body came sliding across the ground and into the tree they sat under.

"Sakura's here," chuckled Kiba.

Shino picked up one of Sai's wrists and checked for a pulse, "He's fine," then flopped it back on the ground.

"Hn," Neji smirked as he picked himself up to greet his scary girlfriend.

"Hey guys," the cheery pinkette came running up to their shady spot and gave Neji a kiss on the cheek.

Hinata and Shino smiled to themselves while Kiba chuckled.

"Awww, so sweet," the dog-nin picked himself off the ground and walked over, "Don't I get one?" He pointed to his cheek and looked down at her with his best puppy dog eyes. All Inuzukas were not above begging for attention, even if it was from another man's girl. Although, usually the girl did not belong to a Hyuuga.

In a split second, Kiba found himself soaring high above the ground and landing in a treetop several yards away, "Sheesh, can't you take a joke, Hyuuga!"

Sakura shook her head at Kiba as she pulled Neji away from the others, "Um, hey Neji-kun. I was w-wondering..." She stuttered as she looked up at his handsome face.

Thanks to the older kunoichi, visions of a sexy Neji devoid of all clothing appeared in her mind. The pinkette gulped as she saw him hovering hungrily above her, ready to send her screaming into the night multiple times. It was almost too much to bear and unknown to her, her arousal was showing to Neji in many ways.

He noticed her lightly licking now her reddening lips and how her cheeks flushed every time she looked in his eyes. Even the way her fingers rubbed against his own was sending him all the signals.

To hell with training, he was tempted to end all this useless chatter and carry her straight back to his room, but... Hinata told him Sakura wanted to ask him something important. Neji grit his teeth as he got himself under control again.

Sakura's inner self was getting impatient and mentally rang her logic bell, 'Come on. It's not like he's gonna turn you down. He wants to marry you for Kami sake!'

She cleared her throat again, 'I mean would you like to go..."

"I'd love to," he finished for her, "Pick you up at seven thirty tonight?"

"Yeah," she nodded eagerly, "Seven thirty is perfect."

He leaned down and was about to kiss her when they heard someone come up.

"Hey Forehead! Have you seen Shino? His Dad said he would be here."

Neji and Sakura rolled their eyes and pointed to the shady tree.

"Thanks! By the way, good luck on that date. I'm sure your Mom will love that."

Sakura's eyes popped, "Eeep! I forgot about Mom!"

"Is there something wrong," asked Neji as Sakura pulled out of his arms.

"Oh yeah, Mom's still a little miffed from the other night. Maybe it would be better if I met you at Ichiraku's at seven thirty. Don't worry I'll be there." She gave him another bright smile before taking off for home.

Ino smirked as she made her way to Shino. If Sakura could go on a date with her boyfriend, she sure as hell will too.

"Hi Shino-kun! Wanna go on a date at seven thirty tonight?"

The bugmaster smiled as he stood up, "Sure. Do you have anything in mind?"

Ino smirked mischeviously as she slipped her hands into Shino's and seductively whispered in his ear, "I have a lot of things in mind and all of them involve you and me all alone."

"OH HO, HO," shouted Kiba as he dropped out of the tree branches, "Never thought I would hear that from Ino so soon. You must've really made an impression, Shino!"

Shino and Ino groaned as Kiba continued to tease them.

"It looks like it'll take a lot more than a 'Talk' to scare Ino. I hope you've got birth control this time, buddy!"

By this time Sai had woken up and was dusting himself off, "Why hello, Beautiful. When did you get here?"

Ino was never one to turn down a compliment and she smiled brightly at the handsome nin, "Hi Sai! So nice to see you too."

Shino winced slightly at Ino's friendliness with the eternally rude boy, but he kept his jealous thoughts to himself.

Hinata frowned in sympathy for her teamate. He was still getting used to having such a lovely girlfriend and obviously felt insecure.

"Shino just got propositioned by blondie here," said Kiba as he chuckled at the blushing pair.

Sai cocked his head to one side to look at the two, "I must say I'm not really surprised. I'm sure Bugger here would never turn down Beautiful. No one could refuse a slut in kunoichi clothes... or is it kunoichi in slutty clothes. Oh well." He shrugged as he picked up his gear and headed out.

"Bye then." He was gone with wave and a flicker, but he left behind three very shocked people. Kiba, on the other hand, was laughing his ass off.

"I'm not slutty," whimpered Ino, "Am I?"

Kiba cracked up all the harder while Hinata gave a little tug on Ino's arm.

"No, Ino-san. You're c-confident," said Hinata, "But you sometimes g-give the wrong impression to the wrong p-people."

"The clothes don't help either," smirked Kiba as he gave Akamaru a scratch behind the ear, "Now that you got a man, maybe you should try toning it down a bit."

Ino looked up at her boyfriend for confirmation.

Shino shrugged, not quite looking her in the eye.

"Oh..."

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It was past one in the afternoon. Clothing flew this way and that as Sakura dug through her closet. The vest she borrowed from Anko hung from a hanger on the doorknob, waiting for her to pair it with the perfect ensemble.

"There has to be something in here that'll work!" She pulled out a short black skirt with ruffles.

"Ewww, what was I thinking," she threw it on the bed among the "Maybe" pile. She was getting really desperate. Sakura really hated to admit it, but she may have to take the very last resort.

"Sakura, honey! Ino's here to see you."

'Speak of the devil,' sighed the pinkette, 'I have no choice then.'

Sakiko waved Ino inside who dragged a bag of clothes up the stairs, "Arigato, Sakiko-san. Hey, Forehead! I got a favor to ask!"

Sakura opened up her door and helped Ino with her bag, "What's all this? I haven't even called to borrow from you yet?"

"What are you talking about," Ino dumped out the clothes, "These are for me. I can't make up my mind. I need to put an outfit together that says bland, boring, and bookish. I thought you could help me out."

The pinkette turned bright red and waved a finger in her friend's face, "Keep that up and I'll not only give a rotten outfit, I'll kick you outta my house the hard way," then pointed to her bedroom window.

Ino rolled her eyes, "Fine, I'm sorry. Now can you help me. PLEASE!" Seeing Ino begging on her knees, perked Sakura up and she shrugged.

"Okay, but you gotta help me too. I need to find an outfit that says... um I don't know," the pinkette took inspiration from the night before, "An outfit that says 'Fuck Me Now'. That should be easy for you!"

"HEY! I am not a sleaze," Ino pulled herself up, "I just dress like one."

Sakura sighed, "Alright how about this, you work on my outfit and I work on yours."

Ino nodded, "Deal! What's this?" Ino looked at the red leather vest that Sakura handed to her.

"You need to work around that," said Sakura as she started rifling through Ino's clothes, "I borrowed it from Anko-san, so don't get any ideas."

Ino snorted, "Like it'd fit."

"What was that?"

"Nothing," the blonde smiled sweetly, "I'll just get to work then."

Over an hour later they each had an outfit laid out on Sakura's bed.

"Whew," Sakura put her hands on her hips in triumph, "And we still have plenty time to get ready for our dates!"

"Ino, you have a telephone call," came Sakiko's voice from downstairs.

Ino sighed, "Probably my Mom. I still have to tell her I'm going on a date. Give me a minute." She strolled down the stairs to where Sakiko held up the receiver.

"Arigato, Sakiko-san. Hi, Mom! I won't be able to make it to dinner tonight. No, I'm not staying at the Harunos."

"Hey Ino," shouted Sakura down the stairs, "I think I found you a better outfit. Shino would really love it!"

Ino heard empty air from the receiver, before she heard her mother screaming on the other end.

"What, what are you talking about, Mom? Yes, I like Aburame Shino, but... But... Excuse me? How would you know about 'The Talk'? Mom? Mom! Wow! Does Dad know you used to date Shibi-sama?"

Ino jerked the phone away from her ear as she heard her father's distinct voice in the background, "I guess he does now."

"Um. No, Ha ha. I'm not going on a date. Pshhht! No, I'm not having dinner over at Sakura's either because... because... I'm sleeping over at someone elses tonight. Who? Ahhhh..."

Sakura came running down the steps with Ino's salvation, "Tenten! You're sleeping over at Tenten's tonight!"

"That's right! I'm sleeping over at Tenten's, Mom. Okay. Okay. Right, I'm looking forward to that nice long chat tomorrow too. Bye, Mom."

Ino and Sakura sighed in relief as the phone was hung up.

"That was close."

"So," said a suspicious voice from behind the girls, "You're sleeping over at Tenten's, huh?" Sakiko was leaning on a wall with her arms crossed.

Both girls nodded their heads furiously.

"I see," Sakiko gave her daughter a pointed look, "That's good. Because if I was Ino's mother, I would be very upset to find out my daughter was out on a date with a boy I had specifically forbid her to see."

Sakura gulped and grinned, "Oh mother, you're so funny. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

The pinkette shoved Ino up the stairs while giving her mother an innocent smile, "We're just going to go upstairs now and get ready for our sleepover at Tenten's. Ha aha ha ha. Such a laugh riot!"

"Our sleepover?" Ino raised an eyebrow as Sakura slammed her bedroom door shut.

"I am not missing my date with Neji-kun!" The pinkette started filling up an overnight bag and handed Ino her previous bag.

"We gotta get ahold of Tenten and get her to cover for us."

"I don't know, Sakura," said Ino, "Your mom sounds already suspicious. What if she goes over to check up on Tenten and finds we're not there?"

The pinkette winced, "I'll think of something, but right now, one problem at a time. Let's go find Tenten."


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own Naruto.

Thank you, thank you for the reviews! They are so much appreciated. :-)

If it seems that I've been Kakashi and Genma bashing, I didn't mean it to. Sorry if it comes across that way. I love those sexy characters. They have such versatile personalities that make them so much fun to mess around with.

Lotsa lime this time.

**Chapter 12: Kakashi's Love Shack!**

I hope you enjoy!

In the suffocating darkness of a huge cavern, nine missing nin gathered together for a summoned meeting.

Shadow images of each member glimmered and flashed into their places before their leader and patiently waited for him to speak.

The piercing grey eyes of their hidden leader bore into each of them until they rested on two in particular.

"Uchiha... Hoshigaki," both shinobi raised their heads in acknowledgment, "How goes the hunt for your assigned Bijuu?"

The two shadows flicked slightly as their annoyance manifested in their images.

"I see," whispered leader-sama's voice. The malevolence seeped through those two words and chilled each one of the Akatsuki to the bone.

"Perhaps we should bring in another team to take over your assignment. There is one other Tailed Beast left besides the Kyuubi. Perhaps teaming up on that assignment with Hidan and Kakuzu would be an easier..."

"Leader-sama," interrupted Itachi.

The already freezing cave dropped another ten degrees. Kisame fought the urge to slide a few paces away from his partner.

"Uchiha," the severe grey eyes narrowed dangerously at the red orbs, "You may speak."

Itachi stared right back at the leader's transparent image, "This is our task and we will finish it."

The grey eyes closed in thought, "Your failure from the last encounter says otherwise."

The Sharingan eyes briefly flashed, but Itachi's voice remained calm, "We were given the Kyuubi because we are the most suitable for the assignment. No one else."

Their leader turned to the red pair of eyes and replied curtly, "That was true, but we have a schedule to keep. Deidara and Tobi!"

Said shinobi stood up a little straighter, "Hai, Leader-sama!"

"You two will do surveillance over Konoha until our next meeting and if you come across the Jinchuuriki, you have clearance to obtain it."

"Hai, Leader-sama."

"Dismissed." The astral projections fluctuated as the nins woke from their trances, all except for two.

Grey eyes met Red in a private battle of wills.

"Uchiha," the cold voice echoed through the musty cavern and air filled with silent promises of gruesome reprisals.

After a few more minutes, Itachi lowered his eyes and turned his head.

The Akatsuki leader sighed, "I haven't had this much defiance since Orochimaru joined our organization. You, at least, have some sense of self-preservation. He was definitely the most troublesome! I had hoped the Kyuubi would get rid him for us, but since news of a new Uchiha vessel in Konoha has reached his ears, he may hang on long enough to take over your brother's body."

The Sharingan flashed as Itachi raised his head again.

"If you and Hoshigaki are that bored, there is a well paying customer in Cloud looking for an assassination. That should satisfy your insistent work ethic. Dismissed!"

Itachi felt his mind forced to flow back into his body and he woke from the trance. He turned an annoyed eye on his teammate, who was carefully poking Itachi's shoulder.

Kisame quickly pulled his finger back, "Just wanted to make sure I wasn't getting a new partner. Next time you want to play rebel, I'm sitting next to Kakuzu. That way he can sow back all my bits and pieces."

"Hn," Itachi stood up from the ground and stretched his legs.

"So what did Leader-sama say?" Kisame adjusted Samehada on his shoulder and casually looked out at the mountain top.

Itachi turned around without waiting for Kisame and headed for the woods, "There's a customer in Cloud who needs assassins."

"Cloud, it is then," sighed the shark nin, "Although, I do remember it lies in that direction."

"We'll go to later," Itachi pushed chakra into his feet and jumped into the treetops

Kisame huffed as he joined his partner, "Where are we going then?"

"Konoha."

High on a ledge, a single Akatsuki looked down at the hustle and bustle of a modern city. He turned slightly to kick the body of a faceless robed servant into the teaming streets, a hundred stories below.

"This should be interesting."

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Several birds flew up from their perches when they were disturbed by a distraught man screaming to the heavens.

Izumo pulled on his hair as he fell over on his knees, "Ah shit, shit, shit! What am I gonna do?"

Kotetsu walked up to his teammate and bonked him on the head, "Win Mitsu back, of course!"

"Yeah," said Anko, "And you better do it soon. She's already at the anger stage of the break up. Pretty soon, she'll hit acceptance and then you really screwed."

"She's that pissed off, huh" asked Izumo as he picked himself up.

"Hell yeah," grumbled Genma, "And yours truly got the brunt of it. Next time you plan on dumping her. Tell me first. At least I'd like to catch some of that 'Intense Orgasmic Rebound Sex' she was talking about."

Izumo paled and he felt his stomach lurch, "Oh god! She had sex with Hiashi-sama."

"Rebound sex," Asuma reminded him, "Not quite the same."

"Especially since she obviously regrets it," continued Kurenai, "But it doesn't make your job any easier."

Groaning, Izumo walked around in a circle thinking of the standard make up gifts, "Maybe flowers, chocolates, diamonds," he shook his head, "Too expensive..."

"And too desperate," said Asuma, "You need to get creative, boy."

"Creative," he repeated then rubbed his temples in thought, "Creative. Aw, man I need ideas..." He looked around the street for some inspiration until his eyes hit a clock.

It was almost one in the afternoon and he heard the school lunch bell start to ring.

"KANA! I'll go ask Kana for some advice." He took off before Kurenai and Anko could stop him.

Anko scratched her arm nervously, "It's only been a few hours, she doesn't know they broke up yet, right?"

Everyone around her shrugged.

Izumo hit the school grounds just as Kana and Hanabi started to walk off the playground, "Kana-chan! Kana-chan!"

He ran up behind the surprised little girl and gave her a big grin, "I need some help."

The eight year old narrowed her eyes at the man, who hurt her mother and activated her Sharingan, "OH, I'll give you what you need."

Before Izumo realized what she meant, Kana sent a swift hard kick to his shins then grabbed his hair to knee him in the face. There was that distinct sound of cartilage smashing on bone resounding through the air.

"HN!" Satisfied with the bleeding nose, Kana turned around and stalked past a smirking Hanabi.

Izumo laid face forward on the ground for a moment, feeling like a total loser. He had let an eight year old girl, who was not even a genin, get the drop on him. He was glad none of his friends witnessed this.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Nevermind.

Wiping off the blood, Izumo picked himself up and glared at the group standing across the street.

Not bothering to hide his smile, Kotetsu was holding up a cracking Anko, while Asuma and Kurenai were shoulders as they tried to hide their laughter. Kakashi and Genma had great big grins on their faces as they watched the chuunin stomp up to them.

"I told you she was promising," said Kakashi.

Izumo shook an angry fist at the Copy Nin, "I still blame you, Kakashi!"

"Well, now what," the desperate chuunin growled, "Chances are if I even try talking to Mitsu, she'll turn violent like Kana."

Asuma flicked off the ash from his cigarette, "That might not be a bad idea."

"What?"

The rest of the group, including Kurenai, looked at him in confusion.

The jounin smiled as he leaned over to his girlfriend, "Remember last month when we had that fight."

"Oh, that's right," Kurenai nodded then blushed heavily as she realized what that meant, "OH! Oh, my! That just might do it."

Asuma walked over to Izumo and gave him a pat on the back, "You are going to challenge Mitsu to a fight, one on one."

Izumo sighed, "I don't want to hurt her more."

Kurenai and Anko broke into snickers until Asuma gestured them to keep quiet, "Your goal isn't to hurt her. It's to get her anger and frustration out. As long as she's fighting, and you keep on the defensive, she'll eventually wear herself out. That's when you need you can make your apology."

"And uh...one more thing," Asuma pulled Izumo away from the others to tell this bit in private.

Everyone else looked at Kurenai with curiosity.

The kunoichi crossed her arms defiantly, "Hey, don't expect to get anything of me! I'm not telling."

Izumo gave Asuma a strange look and whispered, "Are you sure about that?"

The jounin smirked and pointed to Kurenai, "Just ask her."

Both men turned around to the furiously blushing kunoichi. Without Izumo uttering one word, Kurenai knew what he was going to ask.

"Yes, Izumo. It will work! Just don't get yourself killed in the process."

The chuunin nodded, "Okay then, I better get started." He gave a wave to everyone then blurred away to find Mitsu.

"Soooo," Anko swung her arms and rocked on the balls of her feet, "Does everybody else have anything better to do than spy on those two."

"Nope!"

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Sakura and Ino searched the training field where they last saw Team Gai, but came up empty handed.

"Ugh, that's just great," Ino dropped her bag on the grass, "What do we do now?"

Throwing her overnight bag next to Ino's, Sakura put her hands on her hips and sighed in frustration, "They weren't home. They weren't at the usual food stands. I don't get it."

"What's shaking, kiddos," came a booming voice from across the field.

"Gai-Sensei!" Both girls jumped and ran over to the green spandex clad jounin.

"Gai-Sensei, we need to find Tenten. It's most important," Sakura clasped both hands up and begged the man with pleading eyes.

Gai rubbed his chin as his extra-large eyebrows furrowed in thought, "Hmmmm, Lee and Tenten said they were going to get in another hour of practice in. They should be around here somewhere."

Sakura stretched out an arm, "We've been here for a half hour and haven't seen them at all. Could you help us, Gai-sensei."

The jounin gave them a big virginity grin, "I would only be too happy, ladies." He gave them a thumbs up before disappearing in a blast of air.

Ino picked herself up and dusted off her clothes, "Okay, so he's gone west. You go this south and I'll go north."

"Sounds good to me," Sakura blurred into the trees while Ino flickered into the bushes.

"Tenten! Tenten!" The pinkette bounced from limb to limb hoping to catch a glimpse of the kunoichi's white and red uniform.

"Oh, Lee-kun," came a soft voice from some foliage a ways back. Sakura made a quick u-turn and headed for the soft moaning.

"Tenten? Is that you? We need to talk to you!"

"S-sa-sa Sakura! Shhh...Lee-kun... shhhh."

"Hang on a minute!" Tenten's voice resounded through the trees and rebounded off of Gai's ears.

"Aha, very good Cherry Blossom! You found my students. Yamanaka, we found them! Over here!" The green jounin appeared next to the pinkette with two thumbs up.

A half dressed Tenten burst out of the shrubbery with shriek, "Sensei! Wha-what are you doing here?"

"Uh oh," whispered Sakura as she put two and two together... or more like one and one together.

Gai smiled brightly, "Sakura and Ino have been looking for you for almost an hour and they asked for my help. Why, what happened to your clothes, Tenten?"

"Umm, well uh," Tenten finished dressing herself as she tried to come up with an excuse.

Landing from above, Ino arrived in time to see Tenten tyeing up her hair and buttoning the last of her blouse, "Finally, Tenten! Why didn't you answer when we called? And why is Lee hiding behind that bush?"

Sakura slapped a hand over Ino's mouth, "Bad time... really bad time."

The weapons mistress winced as Gai looked over her shoulder and pushed the branches apart, "Lee?"

A half-naked Lee came out of the bushes with bowl-cut hair hanging low, "Sensei... I don't know what to say. You must be so disappointed in me."

Stunned, Gai looked back and forth between his two students, "Lee and Tenten... You two were... And in the bushes?"

The two young shinobi squeezed their eyes shut as their heads hung lower in shame.

"That's... that's FABULOUS!" Gai grinned his best and gave Lee a thumbs up.

Ino and Sakura fell over.

"Sensei?" Tenten's eyes were bugging out as she tried to make sense of Gai's response.

"Springtime love is the epitome of Youth! Two of my students have lost their virginity in the throws of true love. Kakashi's students have yet to get past second base!"

Ino snickered behind one hand as Sakura narrowed her emerald eyes in hate.

"Lee, I have never been so proud," Tears started glistening in Gai's eyes prompting Lee's own cry of relief.

"Oh, Gai-sensei!

"Oh, ho Lee!"

Ino and Sakura coughed in embarrassment as they saw the two guys throw themselves into a crushing embrace.

The blond sidled up to Tenten, "I just wanna make sure... Lee's into girls, right?"

Tenten put her hands on her hips, "YES, HE IS!"

Ino backed up quickly and chirped, "I'll take your word for it."

Then Sakura pulled Tenten aside, "Tenten, we really need your help. We're very sorry for interrupting your time with Lee, but we're desperate."

"We need you to cover for us," explained Ino, "We told our parents that Sakura and I were staying at your place for a sleepover."

"Really? Why?" Tenten re-adjusted her weapons scroll on her back.

Sakura rubbed one arm nervously, "Because if they found out that we were going on dates with Neji and Shino, they'd blow a gasket."

Tenten rolled her eyes, "Sheesh, why not go another time? I'm sure the guys wouldn't mind."

"But we would," said the other two kunoichi.

Ino sighed as she cradled her cheek in her hands, "I have the most magical evening planned out for my Shino-kun."

Tenten looked over at the pinkette for her answer.

"Um" Sakura hesitated.

Her inner self seized control, "I just wanna get laid." Eyes wide, the blushing pinkette quickly covered her mouth.

Tenten turned to Ino with a sneer, "You can quit with the mind control. It's so obvious."

Ino stomped her foot down, "That's not me! And I'm trying to be romantic instead of slutty, but well... same as billboard brow on that." The blond jerked a thumb at the red-faced Sakura.

"Can you please, please help us," asked Sakura, "We'll owe you big time."

The weapon mistress shrugged, "Alright, no prob. I'll keep an eye on the phone and tell your parents you two are with me."

"Don't forget, Sakura," Ino nudged the pinkette, "Your mom seemed to wonder about the whole sleepover thing. She might wanna check up on us."

Sakura scratched the back of her head, "Yeah, that's right. Tenten do you think you could do henges of us?"

"Sure," Tenten pressed her hands together and changed into Sakura, then Ino before going back with a puff of smoke, "Easy as pie."

"Whew! That should work," Sakura wiped the sweat off her brow, "Now that that's taken care of, we need to freshen up and get dressed. I hope you don't mind if we make a pit stop at your place Tenten?"

"Not at all," Tenten walked up to her sensei and still babbling boyfriend and gave Lee a gentle kiss on the forehead, "See you later, Lee-kun. I have to go home now."

The boy snapped back up, "I will escort you safely home, Tenten!"

"No need. Sakura and Ino are with me," she lightly touched his cheek before waving goodbye.

Lee looked crest fallen for a second. His eyes turned sad and the eyebrows almost separated for a moment.

"So," smiled Tenten as she took the lead, "I take it that I'm not the only one losing their virginity today?"

Lee perked up at the juicy gossip and gave the girls a nice guy pose. Gai slapped his forehead at his student's lack of tact.

As the three girls walked through Konoha, Ino looked the weapons mistress over, "Oi, Tenten. How is it that you're walking? I thought popping your cherry would make you sore."

Tenten smirked, "You don't think our little rendezvous was spur of the moment. I came prepared. Shizune-san gave me some healing ointment."

"You don't happen to have any of the ointment left over," asked the blond with a pleading smile.

Sakura pulled on Ino's ponytail, "Baka, you and I don't need it. Or have you not been paying attention to Tsunade-sama's healing lessons."

"Hmph," Ino winced as she straightened her hair, "Well, my healing jutsu isn't as good as yours, Miss Perfect Chakra Control. I just want to be prepared. Besides, its difficult healing yourself, especially down there."

Tenten pulled out the small jar and handed it to the blond, "Here, just be careful. Shizune-san said a little bit goes a long way."

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Izumo checked Mitsu's home first, but a quick look around said she was still out. The chuunin noticed the usually scowling Hyuuga guards, giving him of weirdest smirks when he walked by.

'Yeah, yeah! News travels fast. If all goes well, you guys won't have those smirks for long.'

Shaking off their attitudes, Izumo continued to search the clothing shops and ice cream stores of Konoha, hoping to find Mitsu moping about in self-therapy.

He was about to go back to her home and simply wait on her doorstep, when he heard someone shouting at one of the training grounds. Pushing more chakra into his feet, he hurried over the treetops to the source.

"How convenient," he said when he saw his lady love working through her kata. He walked up to the fuming kunoichi, being sure to make as much noise as possible.

Growling, Mitsu turned around with a standing roundhouse kick and ending it with the heel of her sandal an inch away from Izumo's face, "Get lost."

Without breaking eye contact, he pushed her foot away with one finger, "We need to talk."

"Tch," she dropped her leg and turned away, "If you're gonna lecture me on keeping a professional manner in public," she stomped back to the training post and started punching.

"Save it! You can tell the Hokage, I'll pay for any damages and that it won't happen again."

Izumo paused in temptation to ask what kind of damages, 'Nah, I don't wanna know.'

Getting back on track, he turned back to the angry kunoichi, "That's not what I'm here for."

"If you want a quickie, I'd recommend Red from The Razor Leaf. But Anko might blow her stack if Kotetsu joins in."

Izumo laughed as he watched her start some sidekicks, "Damn! You really are pissed."

"That's it! I'm outta here," Mitsu stalked off in a random direction, hoping to put some distance between her and the flip-flopping bastard. She was now wishing most of her chakra was not used up on that genjutsu at the bar. Otherwise, she would have long since taken off for the rooftops.

She huffed when Izumo flickered right in front of her. She turned another way. He appeared in front of her again.

"I can keep this up all day," he shrugged then looked her in the eye, "Could you at least hear what I have to say?"

She sighed and crossed her arms defiantly, "Promise to let me go when you've finished talking?"

Izumo took a moment to think, "Nah, can't promise that. You see, I'm challenging you to a fight."

"What?"

"You heard me," Izumo opened up his arms wide, "You obviously have issues that need to be worked out. So here I am. Hit me!"

She raised an eyebrow, "You've got to be kidding."

"Hit me!"

Mitsu dropped her arms and waved a hand, "Do I look like I'm twelve?"

"No, you look like you could use some stress relief."

"Got that already," she sneered, "It didn't work."

Izumo's eye twitched, but he got himself back under control, "I heard. Thought you'd like to try something different. Hit.. me!"

"No."

Mitsu's eyes widened when Izumo gave her shoulder a poke, "Oi!"

"Come on." He gave her shoulder another poke.

"Stop it," she hissed.

"Nope," This time he slapped her ass.

"How dare you?"

Izumo shrugged, "Well, it was hard to miss such a big target."

Outraged, she screamed in his face, "Fuck you, Izumo!"

His responding smirk made her rebellious spine quiver and he gave her nose an eskimo kiss, "Awww, Mitsu-chan."

Then he disappeared from her eyes and whispered in her ear from behind, "We already did."

"RAAAAWWWR!"

Izumo easily dodged Mitsu's barrage of attacks as he continued to throw digs at her, "Gettin' a little slow there."

He blocked an elbow jab and ducked her left punch, "Did you work yourself too much earlier or has retirement got to ya?"

"I'll show you slow," she hissed. Using up her chakra, her hands sped through a complicated sequence of hand signs.

Izumo blinked as he found the sun had set on the training grounds and the night sky twinkled above him, "Oh, yeah. She's genjutsu. Damn!"

The afternoon sun quickly returned when he bit on his tongue and looked around in time to see Mitsu bearing down on him with a raised fist.

Izumo twisted out of the way, while at the same time grabbing her exposed arm to send her flying several yards across the dirt.

Her body rolled over a few times before it stopped on some open grass. Izumo waited to see Mitsu pull herself up, but his heart nearly stopped when she remained on the ground.

"Shit... too much," he ran to Mitsu and knelt next to her.

"Mitsu," he cried as he pulled her limp body into his arms. Checking her head for any bumps, he saw only dirt and sweat covering her skin.

He gently slapped her cheeks in an attempt to revive her. A tiny flicker of her burgundy eyelashes alerted Izumo, but before he could pull away, her legs wrapped around his torso, and using his imbalanced position, crashed him down to the ground.

Her ruby eyes hatefully glared down at him and Izumo felt the slight prick of a kunai's edge across his neck.

He patted down his holster to feel it empty, "Tch, well that's embarrassing. I should've taken that off before challenging you."

"You should've done a lot of things before challenging me," she growled as she started to back up, removing the kunai from his skin.

Izumo grinned, "You're absolutely right." He pulled her back down with one hand and reached for the back of her head with the other, forcing her lips onto his.

When she gave a surprised squeak, he pushed his tongue into her mouth and covertly knocked the kunai out of her hand.

Mitsu eyes flittered shut as she felt the thrilling surge of Izumo's kiss.

'Don't give in, damn it,' she wanted to push him away, but he kept making her weak in the knees.

Soon, Mitsu felt her resolve slip away as her hands slipped along his arms and rest on his strong shoulders.

The hidden group of shinobi smiled as they stayed a safe distance away from the kissing couple.

Anko gave Asuma a thumbs up, "Looks like we should give them their privacy." She grabbed Kotetsu's arm and gave it a tug.

Kakashi and Genma turned to walk away as well, but Asuma and Kurenai stood their ground.

"You guys go ahead," said Kurenai casually, "We need to stay here."

Four jaws dropped to the ground.

"Whoa," breathed Anko then she nudged Kotetsu in the ribs, "And you said I was kinky."

Asuma growled in annoyance, "Just stay put. If Izumo needs reminding, I need to be here to give it to him."

Mitsu felt Izumo spin her to the bottom and trapped her under his body. In response, she lifted her hips into his lower regions, letting him feel her desperate need.

Izumo moaned in response. The chuunin thoroughly kissed the life out of Mitsu. He could feel his pants tighten when she began to rub her body on his hips.

It had only been a day since he touched her, but he felt like a man who had been starved for a year. He was not sure if he could keep to Asuma's plan. This was feeling much too good.

Then he felt Mitsu's fingers pull from his shoulder and trail down to the bulge in his pants. He caught his breath as she scratched at the cloth covering his hardened length.

'Plan? Hell, I don't remember any plan?' As far as he was concerned, this was it. He pushed and ground himself into her palm, relishing the pleasure.

Mitsu was lost in a haze of lust as she fondled Izumo's length. She continued to nibble through his turtleneck, feeling all the more excited at the scent of his masculine sweat.

'Kami, I'm insane,' she thought, 'One kiss from this man and I turn to jelly. I'll just have this one last romp then dump his ass..."

She felt his hand slip up her shirt and give her breast a squeeze, 'Or maybe after the next one.'

Then she was surprised to hear him yelp in pain and watched him crawl off of her at a frantic pace.

"Huh? Is something wrong?" She sat up on her elbows to look up at her lover.

"Uh, No! No!" Izumo looked around to the side of his pants leg to find a small hole that smelled distinctly of cigarette smoke.

Sighing, he turned back to push Mitsu down and kissed her breathless again. When he pulled away he made sure that her pupils were mottled again.

He kissed along her jawline then licking her ear, he whispered, "Kana goes to bed at eight, right?"

He got a nonsensical whimper that he took for an affirmative.

"Good," then he flickered away.

Mitsu laid on the ground in complete shock. There she was horny as a bitch in heat, blind as bat, and then he... _leaves_?

"I'm gonna fucking KILL HIM!"

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Running from the furious cursing, Izumo honed in on the masked chakra signatures of the others. He landed next to Asuma and gave his superior the dirtiest look he could muster.

"You heard the woman! I'm a walking dead man," he limped a couple feet to a lean on a tree, "And I feel like one too."

Asuma lit up another cigarette and mumbled, "Do you just want a quickie or are you serious about this girl?"

The chuunin grimaced then stood up straight, "I'm serious. So now what?"

This time Asuma deferred to his girlfriend for the next phase, "Kurenai, I believe it's your turn."

"Now that you have her undivided attention," Kurenai walked up to him, "You need to take her out on a proper date. None of these stolen moments behind Hiashi's back. Set up dinner reservations. Get cleaned up."

Then the kunoichi pinched at his dust covered chuunin vest, "And wear something other than your chuunin attair. Nothing says Shinobi-For-A-Night than constant uniforms"

"Hey," piped up Genma as he flourished up his vest, "Chicks dig the uniform."

"And Genma just proved my point," Kurenai smiled sweetly.

Kakashi raised a finger, "I hate to be the voice of reason, but if Izumo is taking Mitsu out, who is staying home with Kana?"

Everyone slowly grinned at the Copy Nin.

"Ah, shit."

"Kana goes to bed at around eight," said Izumo, "Try to be on time."

Kotetsu gave his teammate a pat on the back, "Come on, bud. Let's take you shopping."

"Why," asked Anko, "It's not like he's taking her to a black tie event."

"Lover boy's casual clothes consists of nothing, but ripped up jeans and thinning t-shirts," explained Kotetsu, as the other chuunin scowled, "Besides it's time. The washer's getting flossed every time you do the laundry."

Laughing, the rest of the group gave their good lucks and started taking off.

Anko planted a wet and sloppy good bye kiss on a happy Kotetsu, while Kurenai and Asuma walked off together.

Izumo stopped Kakashi as he and Genma were about to head out.

"Oi, Kakashi! Since you'll be babysitting Kana, do you mind if I use your Tree house?"

Hatake Kakashi's Tree house was his best kept secret and one of his best weapons in the conquest of Konoha's ladies. Thanks to Konoha's famously huge trees, The Copy Nin was able to build a little treetop haven to take all his lady friends for secret rendezvous. It had just enough room for a comfortable bed, a mini-bar, and a small bathroom. It was a good thing the one room Tree house was sparsely furnished. It had barely enough space to turn around in.

Kakashi narrowed his one eye at the chuunin, "How did you know about my Tree house?"

Izumo and Genma replied in unison, "Anko. Who else?"

Kakashi gave Genma a glare then sighed, "Yeah, might as well get some use tonight. Just be careful. That place took me two vacations to put together."

"Gotcha," then Izumo ran back to Kotetsu, who was still sporting glazed eyes and goofy smile, "Come on, Kotetsu. You're covering the shopping bill right?"

"Hm? Yeah, sure...whatever," said Kotetsu as Izumo dragged his teammate off.

As Kakashi and Genma reached the village streets, they found Asuma waiting for them.

"Hey Kakashi, since you're not using the Tree house tonight, mind if I take Kurenai there?"

Kakashi blinked, "How did? Oh, never mind! Why my Tree house? You two have your own apartments."

Asuma shrugged, "Just wanted to surprise her. You know, to keep things fresh. Besides she's never been there and Anko's been bragging to her for months."

"Actually, Asuma," laughed Kakashi, "You'd end up surprising her more than you think if..."

"Great! Gotta go," Then Asuma walked off in search of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

Genma twirled his senbon as he sneered, "Don't you think you should stop him or Izumo?"

"Nah," Kakashi slouched as he opened up his Icha Icha, "They can figure things out on their own."

Then Anko came rushing from behind them, "Hey Kakashi! The pony-tailed kunoichi pulled him aside and whispered in the Copy Nin's ear, nibbling it more out of habit than any intent.

"Not a good idea, Anko..." he brushed his ear and did not bother looking up from his Icha Icha.

The snake kunoichi shoved an angry finger in his face, "Hey One Eye! Don't think you'll get off that easy. You owe me!"

Remembering how his best-kept secret was now going to be used by everyone and their _dog_, Kakashi turned to her and smirked under his mask, "Yes... Yes, I do owe you, Anko. Enjoy, Anko!"

Genma watched the happy kunoichi take off down the street, "What was that about?"

"Anko plans to take Kotetsu to the Tree house tonight."

Genma doubled over, "Ha Ha! This is too good. I can't wait to see this."

The Copy Nin turned on his friend, "I never took you for a voyeur"

"I'm not! But this is gonna be better than the bath house or ladies night"

The Copy Nin's head dropped as he groaned, "And I have to babysit. Just make sure they don't break anything."

Genma gave Kakashi a grin, "Sure thing, Pimp-san."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Should I go with the purple eyeliner or green," asked Ino.

Pulling aside the shower curtain, Sakura peered at Ino's eyes and the vivid blue dress the blond was wearing, "Go with the green. Your blue eyes will pop that way."

Tenten walked into the bathroom and threw a towel over the shower curtain, "Are you done yet? We have only have one water heater and you're killing it."

"Aaalmooost dooone," said the pinkette slowly as she carefully slid the razor across her skin, "There, that should do it."

"Finally," griped the blond, "I don't think I've ever seen a girl take up so much hot water before."

Tenten poked Ino in the shoulder, "You came pretty close, missy."

Sakura wrapped the towel around her body and stepped out of the shower, "I don't usually take this long. I just wanted to make sure everything was perfect."

Ino looked the pinkette over. The girl looked the same as before, just cleaner.

"Uh huh," the blond walked out of the bathroom and into Tenten's room, "Hey Tenten! Do you have some perfume I can borrow?"

The brunette pointed to her dresser, "Sakura, are you sure about this outfit." Tenten pulled up the red vest and black mini.

"Neji might mistake you for a streetwalker instead of his fiance-to-be."

Sakura walked out of the bathroom in her nude colored bra and virginity, "That's the point. The last time Neji and I were alone long enough to get somewhere, he got all noble on me. I want to make sure he gets the message from the moment he lays eyes on me."

"He'll certainly get the message alright," mumbled the weapon mistress.

Ino put the finishing touches on her outfit and looked herself over, "Perfect. Nice, sweet, and it still looks like I have boobs."

"Classy, Ino," sneered Sakura, "Real classy!"

The blond stuck her tongue out then sat down on Tenten's daybed as she waited for her friend to finish dressing. She swung her purse back and forth in boredom then flew herself back on the collection of soft pillows.

"Ouch. What's that?" Ino reached behind a pillow to pull out a book. The cover showed two pretty boys caught in the throws of ecstasy. Ino grinned as she dove into the welcome distraction.

Sakura hopped around the floor as she struggled to get the tight mini-skirt zipped, "It'll just be a few minutes more, Ino. Hang on."

Ino waved a hand before flipping to the next page, "Take your time. I'm good here."

"What's that," asked Sakura as she zipped up the leather vest, "Is that what I think it is?"

Tenten gasped and snatched the book out of Ino's hands.

"Oi! I was getting to a good part!"

Tenten smashed it back under the pillows, "You didn't see that."

Sakura grinned at the brunette, "Well, well, well, no wonder Lee and Gai-sensei's lovefests never bothered you."

"Oh, they bothered her," corrected Ino, "More like hot and bothered her!"

The brunette frowned sullenly, "Like you two haven't had fantasies about your senseis. Kakashi-sensei and Asuma-sensei are ten times hotter than Gai-sensei. Admit it!"

The other two girls stopped laughing and looked everywhere, but Tenten.

"Aha!"

Sakura grimaced as she felt Tenten poke at her shoulder, "Kakashi-sensei is like fourteen years older than me. That's like wanting to kiss an older brother... gross!"

'A super hot older brother,' mused her inner self, 'Grrrooowl!'

'Shut up!'

Tenten tweaked Ino's nose, "And I bet you've always wondered what it was like to be Kurenai."

"Nuh-uh. Kurenai-sensei can keep her walking chimney," Ino crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air, but her bouncing knee betrayed the lie.

Sakura and Tenten cracked up, "Whatever, Ino. We have to get going anyways. Do you mind if we sneak out the window, Tenten?"

"Go ahead. I'll hold down the fort," the weapons mistress gave short salute as she watched the other two jump out the window.

A flicker of dark color caught the corner of Tenten's eye for a moment, "Hm?" She stuck her head out the window and gave the area a quick look.

"Weird, I could've sworn I saw someone."

When the window slid shut, Sai crept out of the tree's shadow and looked at his quick sketches. There were images of Sakura, Ino, and Tenten at various stages of undress. He pulled out one he was especially proud of.

The picture of Tenten snatching the yaoi book from a petulant Ino with Sakura trying to take a peek. He made sure to add the book title for easy identification.

"Pssst!"

Sai raised an eyebrow. He put the sketches in his pack and looked around.

"Pssst, over here."

Sai looked up to the rooftop to see Jiraiya grinning down at him.

"Kid, you got talent. Do you have anything planned for tonight?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sakura and Ino eagerly walked down Konoha's streets. Their hearts were thumping fast as they neared the street leading to Ichiraku's Ramen Bar.

"Hang on a minute, Ino," Sakura said as she looked down an alley, "I need to go check on something."

Ino followed her friend down the alley and through an opening in a fence. Behind the partition was a field opening up to the forest edges of Konoha.

"What's over here?" Ino saw nothing special around. It was just a bunch of trees.

Sakura looked up at a particular tree and raised her hands, "Kai!" The genjutsu dispelled revealing a larger than normal and somewhat elaborate tree house among the foliage.

Ino watched as Sakura walked up the trunk with her chakra. The blond swore she could hear a bell going off in the distance as Sakura climbed the tree.

The pinkette pulled up through a hole in the small landing, peered into a window, and gave a sigh of relief, "It looks like no one's been here in a while. Perfect!" After re-establishing the genjutsu, Sakura jumped down and landed next to Ino.

"Okay, we can go now."

Ino raised an eyebrow, "What is that?" She pointed to the cloaked tree house.

"That?" Sakura walked off with Ino trailing behind.

"Naruto, Sasuke, and I came across it when we were trying to tail Kakashi-sensei. We were trying to see underneath his mask. Along the way we found this. He's been doing some remodeling since I last saw it, but the security is still the same."

Ino gave the pinkette's shoulder a poke, "So why are you so interested in it now? Are you planning on taking Neji there tonight?"

Sakura smirked, "Maybe. But I have lots of other things planned first. I don't want him to think I'm a total slut."

"Hmmm," said Ino thoughtfully, "Good idea. You want this night to be perfect so take your time."

"Ino, you can't tell anybody about this place especially Shino. If news of this got out, Kakashi-sensei will freak. Promise?"

The blond rolled her eyes and raised one hand, "I promise."

'Doesn't mean I can't show it to him,' Ino uncrossed her fingers on her other hand as she followed Sakura to Ichiraku's.

Sakura turned to Ino, "Also, please be careful with the dress I loaned you. It's my mother's and she'll kill me if it gets ruined."

"Gotcha! Secret safe and dress protected," the blond sighed at her friend, "Sheesh, your worse than my mom."

Shino and Neji stood outside the ramen bar, nervously waiting for their dates.

"So," started Neji, "Do you know what Ino has planned?"

"Not really. Did Sakura give you a hint?"

The Hyuuga scowled, "No. She took off before I could ask."

"I guess this is why guys usually do the asking," sighed Shino, "The suspense is annoying."

"Hn!"

The girls voices rose over the evening crowd and made the guys look up.

"Shino-kun!"

"Neji-kun!"

Both guys dusted off their clothes in time to see their dates heading for them. It took a moment for the sight of their girlfriends to register, but once it did, the two guys nearly burst into nosebleeds.

"Mine's the one with pink hair, right," gulped Neji. His pearl eyes jumped up and down, taking in all of Sakura's clothes or in this case... the lack of them. The Hyuuga prodigy mentally removed what was left.

"Y-yeah," said Shino as he drooled over Ino's tight blue dress.

Sakura sauntered up to Neji, making sure her emerald eyes kept contact with his pearl and huskily whispered in his ear, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you hungry, Neji?"

Neji's eye twitched slightly from that loaded questioned and went with the safest answer he could think of.

"Hn."

Ino bypassed any verbal pleasantries and got straight to the point. Shino found himself wrapped in the blonde's arms and being kissed breathless.

'Her dress may cover more skin,' Shino thought happily, 'But that's Ino through and through.'

"Hmmm," moaned Ino when she pulled away from her boyfriend, "Food now."

Shino nodded dumbly as he pulled up the food stand's curtain.

Neji helped Sakura to her seat and ordered for the both of them. The pinkette was glad for the help. That damn miniskirt barely let her walk much less climb up the barstool.

Throughout the dinner Ino and Sakura did their best to lead their dates thoughts to other pleasant activities in store for them.

Ino would occasionally whisper sweet nothings into the Aburame heir's ear followed by a covert lick.

Shino had to bite down on his chopsticks every time Ino brushed her lips on his skin.

'Kami, this girl's gonna make me lose control,' thought the young bug master.

Sakura was also trying hard to make sure the Hyuuga jounin's self control was on the brink of insanity. The pinkette made a point to lick her lips or lightly trace her neckline with her fingers whenever Neji was looking at her. With his Byakugan, that could have been pretty much the whole time.

Neji nearly lost his restraint when the pinkette brazenly tickled a hand over his thigh then bit her lip enticingly, "S-Sakura."

Great! Now he sounded like his cousin. He quickly pulled himself together.

"Did you have anything else planned for tonight?"

Sakura smiled sweetly, "Of course. There's a good movie playing at the cinema. It should be fun."

'Heh, heh,' smirked her inner self, 'A dark corner with just you two, loud sound system, and comfy amphitheater seats. I know what you're thinking and girl... GO FOR IT!'

Neji paused as he saw a predatory smile grow on the pinkette's face.

"Oh yes," she repeated wryly, "It'll be a lot of fun."

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Tenten was sitting in front of the TV in her room, munching on some popcorn, when she heard the doorbell ring. She peeked out of her room to see her mother opening the front door.

"Hello, is Sakura here? I'm her mom, Sakiko."

Tenten winced as she pulled back, "Damn. Ino wasn't kidding."

She raised her hands, "Henge!"

As Sakiko was led inside the living room by Tenten's mother, she saw her daughter rush down the hall, "Hello sweetie! You forgot something." Sakiko opened up her arms for a hug.

"I did?" Tenten-Sakura gave Sakiko a hug and tried to look as innocent as possible.

Sakiko happily handed Tenten-Sakura a ratty teddy bear, "You forgot your boo bear, hunny bunny."

"Boo bear," Tenten-Sakura's broke out into an evil grin, "Who would've thought that... um I mean, who would've left behind their sweet little boo bear. Thank you, mom."

Sakura's mother raised an eyebrow, "Well, I'm glad you're happy to have your boo bear. Now is Ino here too?"

Tenten-Sakura jumped, "Um, yes she is. Did you want to talk to her?"

Sakiko grinned and nodded slowly.

"Okay then," Tenten-Sakura backed into the hall, "Just one moment."

Tenten-Sakura ran to her bedroom and summoned a clone. The clone henged into Ino and walked with Tenten-Sakura to the living room.

"Hello Sakiko-san," said the Ino clone politely, "Did you want to talk?"

"Yes Ino-chan," smiled Sakiko, "Your mother called and wanted to make sure you had everything you needed for the sleepover."

The Ino clone tilted her head trying to be as cute as possible, "I have everything I need. Thank you, Sakiko-san."

Sakiko looked around the girls, "Where is Tenten? I wanted to say hi."

Tenten-Sakura and the Ino clone squeaked, "Right! Tenten!" Both girls ran back to the bedroom.

Tenten released the henge on herself then summoned another clone. The clone turned into Sakura while Tenten opened the door.

"Here I am, Sakiko-san!"

Sakiko and Tenten's mother froze when they saw the three nervous girls in front of them.

"Ahem, Tenten," said her mother warily, "I didn't know you had a teddy bear exactly like Sakura's."

Tenten quickly threw the stuffy at the Sakura clone, who caught it in it's arms.

"My boo bear," chirped the Sakura clone.

"Heh, heh! Sakura was just letting me see it for a second," explained Tenten, but the older women could see the sweat beading on her forehead.

Sakiko had just about enough. She stood up and stared down the brunette, "Okay, where is Sakura?"

"What do you mean," piped Tenten as she waved a hand to the pink-haired clone, "She's right here."

The older woman scowled, "That is not my Sakura! Sakura would never say, 'My boo bear', much less admit it in public. She would have screamed her head off before letting anyone know it existed! She's on a date with Neji, isn't she!"

"Tenten," exclaimed her mother, "I can't believe you!"

The young weapons mistress gulped as both mothers closed in on her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mitsu helped Kana into bed and gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead, "Sweet dreams, Kana-chan."

Kana's face broke into an evil smile, "Sweet? Hah! You can bet on my dreams are gonna be kick-ass!"

"Heh," Mitsu gave the girl's hair a ruffle, "Glad to hear it. G'night." She stood up from the twin bed and turned out the lamp.

"G'night, Mom. Say Mom? Did Hiashi-sama talk with you today?"

Mitsu was very glad that the lights were off. She could feel her face heat up as the memories of the morning encounter came back with full force.

"Oh, uh... Yes, We did, ahem, talk and Hiashi-sama isn't angry anymore."

Kana sat up in her bed, "That's good. I guess. But I still wish..." The eight year old paused as she tried to figure out how to say this.

"I still wish Izumo-kun didn't go."

Mitsu walked back to sit by her daughter's side, "You know?"

Kana nodded and gave Mitsu a hug, "I'm sorry, Mom. He seemed so perfect for you. I just wanted you to have a great guy, but I just didn't expect him to do that."

Mitsu huffed as they pulled apart, "You'll find out that guys never do what you expect. Better learn that now. And who knows, Kana-chan?"

Kana was close enough to see the small smile on her mother's face, "He might come back around."

"HN," the little girl slammed a fist into her palm, "If he comes back around here, I might give him another broken naaaahh oooh." Kana stumbled over her words as her mother gave the girl a piercing stare.

"I mean, I'll give him a very, very stern talking to, Mom." Kana gave her mom a quick smile.

"Uh huh," Mitsu smirked at Kana, "Well, no more stalling. Bedtime."

She walked out the door and turned to see the living room clock chime eight in the evening.

_"Kana goes to bed at eight, right?"_ The echo of Izumo's sexy whisper reminded Mitsu that the chuunin was up to something.

"Oh shit," She bit her lip in worry, 'Why did he want to know Kana's bedtime? Is he coming over? If so, when?'

Mitsu paced in her bedroom trying to keep calm. She would look out her window once in a while, expecting to see his irresistible face smiling at her from outside. After working herself into a nervous wreck, the woman checked the living room clock.

'Kana's been in bed for over a half hour now. What's he planning?'

Her mind came alive with steamy scenes of her and Izumo making love in the master bedroom, the whirlpool bathtub, on the couch, even on the kitchen table.

"Damn it. If I keep this up, I'll need to change my underwear... again."

She looked out the living room windows, even going out on the patio just to make sure he was not hiding in the shadows.

Mitsu threw her hands up in frustration, "I give up!"

"Mitsu?" A deep voice rose from behind the Hyuuga wall and made her stop in mid-stride.

She turned around, looking in the direction of the familiar voice.

Tiptoeing through the yard to the garden wall, she curiously raised her voice, "Hiashi?"

"Good evening." Hiashi had turned on his Byakugan to watch her place a hand on the wall where he stood.

He saw Mitsu cheeks flush and Hiashi smiled at how even after their moment of passion, she was still shy around him.

She leaned against the wall, "Gomen, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Quite alright," He pushed chakra into his feet and jumped the wall in two steps, "How are you?"

Mitsu nervously wrung the bottom of her shirt in her hands, "F-fine. Much better than this morning. Thank you."

"No, Mitsu," Hiashi took both of her hands in his, "Thank you." He gently kissed the top of her hands and then gave her a kiss on the cheek.

She smiled shyly as she looked up at the Hyuuga clan leader.

'So much like Keitaro,' she thought as ruby gazed into pearl, 'The private hushed voice, the self confidence instilled by his heritage, and especially the gentle touches of a man cherishing his most prized possession.'

Hiashi drew closer as he leaned down to kiss Mitsu. He caught her lips hungrily and pressed her body into his. He opened up her mouth with his tongue and relished the feel of her tongue on his.

When Mitsu wrapped her arms around his neck, she buried her hands in his long soft hair as he ran his hands down her curves. Something was different though. Mitsu could not put a finger on it, but it nagged her from the back of her mind.

Hiashi was just about lost in the lust that had been growing since he saw Mitsu. He was so close to tearing off her clothes and throwing his robes to the ground. He wanted to take her there on the wall, but then they heard her doorbell ring.

'IZUMO-KUN!' Mitsu almost had a heart attack. She remembered why she ventured out into the yard in the first place.

Hiashi backed away from her and activated his Byakugan. Mitsu bit her lip, hoping there was not going to be a repeat of ladies night.

The Hyuuga leader relaxed and turned off his bloodline limit, "Apparently, Hatake Kakashi has come for a visit."

Hiashi smiled in satisfaction to see Mitsu make a disgusted face.

"Ugh! Maybe the Hokage needs something. I better go. Good night, Hiashi."

"Good night, Mitsu," he gave her another kiss on the cheek then flickered away to his home.

Making her way through the garden, Mitsu stepped over bushes and walked around benches until she reached the patio. It was not until she had closed the sliding glass door and was half way through the kitchen did it hit her.

She could see! Her vision was crystal clear! From start to finish with her time with Hiashi, she was able to see everything around her as a normal person would.

"Huh?" She was going to check the mirror just to be sure, when the doorbell rang again.

"Shit," Mitsu ran for the door, "If Hatake keeps that up, he'll wake up Kana. If she isn't already."

She threw open the door and raised a finger to her lips, "SSSSHHHHHH!"

"Oh right," Kakashi whispered, "Didn't mean for that. Wouldn't want to make my job difficult, would I?"

Mitsu motioned for the Copy Nin to come inside, "Your job? What are you talking about?" She closed the door and led him to the living room.

"I'm here to babysit Kana while Izumo takes you on a date. I'm thinking he should be here any minute now," Kakashi gave the confused woman a masked smile and watched her face go from highly annoyed to frantically spastic.

"Shit, shit, and double shit!" She made a bee-line to the laundry room to dig up some clean clothes.

As she ran from the laundry and through the hallway, she called out, "Did he say what kind of date? You know, casual, dressy, indoors, outdoors?"

"Would've thought you'd had enough of the outdoors," chuckled the Copy Nin.

"What was that," said Mitsu as she peeked out her bedroom door.

"I believe he made dinner reservations, so it's a safe bet to go dressy."

"Okay, thanks," she pulled back into her room and closed the door, "Dressy, dressy, dressy!" She dug through her sparse closet and sighed dejectedly.

"I need to go shopping," Mitsu was about to tear her hair out when she saw a tight black cocktail dress Anko had left behind.

She lifted it up and whined, "Oh no... It's the 'Fuck Me Now' dress." But nothing else would work. Her other dresses were either in the dirty clothes hamper or way too formal.

As she inspected it closer, Mitsu was relieved to see it was an adjustable halter top. It might be a little tight up top, but if she was careful, no one would get flashed.

"Well, no one, but Izumo-kun hopefully."

Mitsu flung the dress onto the bed, chose a set of black strapless bra and thong, and dug up the pair of black high heels from ladies night. She rushed to the shower and set up her make up kit while waiting for the water to heat up. She hoped she had enough time for some make up.

Throwing her clothes off, she forgot to check the water temperature before jumping in.

Back in the kitchen, Kakashi made himself a sandwich from the dinner leftovers and got comfortable in the living room. He had barely started to read his book when he heard soft knocking at the door. Sighing, the Copy Nin stood up and answered it.

There stood Izumo dressed in nice black slacks and a green collared shirt. Not a hint of shinobi was on him as he carried a dozen red roses in one arm.

"My, don't you look _spiffy_," teased the jounin, "But I'm really not the red roses type."

Izumo sneered as he walked in, "Ha. Ha. How long have you been here?"

Kakashi checked the living room clock, "Hmmm, about ten minutes.'

"Tch," Izumo sat the roses down on the coffee table, "Figures. At least, Mitsu got _some_ warning."

Both men jumped when they heard a shriek from the master bedroom. They barged through the bedroom and swung open the bathroom door.

There was Mitsu with her back to them, naked and drenched. She rubbed her red shoulders as her body dripped water over the bathroom tiles.

Hearing the bathroom door hit the wall, she looked over her shoulder and let out another shriek.

"Out! Out! Out!" She threw a towel around her torso and pushed the grinning shinobi out the door.

Smirking, Izumo and Kakashi took a minute to commit those images to memory before heading back to the living room.

"Well, that's just great," hissed Mitsu as she got back in the shower, "He's here already. Now I've really gotta hurry."

As Izumo and Kakashi sat patiently in the living room, they heard Kana's door open and the distinct sound of bunny slippers dragging across the floor. They watched the little girl yawn as she passed by them and trudged to the refrigerator. Her onyx eyes were barely open as she rooted in the fridge for some milk and pulled out a glass from the cabinet.

Drinking her milk, Kana sludged through the hallway until she felt two sets of eyes observing her. The two amused men waved when she lowered her glass and saw them sitting in the living room. The little girl's tired eyes tried to hone in on them, but they kept going in and out of focus. Turning to her glass of milk, Kana sniffed it carefully.

"Must be going bad," she mumbled and dumped the last of the milk in a fern planter.

Kana rubbed her eyes sleepily as she walked past the chuckling shinobi, and went back to her room.

"You're lucky she's a heavy sleeper," ribbed Kakashi, "Or you might have had to deal with a broken foot this time."

Izumo raised a fist at the Copy Nin and was about to tell him off, when they heard Mitsu hopping out of her bedroom.

"I don't believe this! I swear I left it on the bed. Where did it go," they heard her grumble as she struggled to buckle her heels, "Shit! Whoever came up with high heels should die a slow and painful death!"

Both men looked at each other for a moment then climbed the back of the couch to peak down the hallway. They saw Mitsu leaning over, using a wall for balance. The black dress she wore clung to every curve and the high heels showcased her legs. The men could see right down her neckline to see her barely restrained cleavage.

Looking at her feet, Mitsu straightened up and teeter-tottered for a moment before getting her balance, "Okay, I guess I'm ready."

The two men quickly dropped back on the couch. Kakashi whipped out his Icha Icha while Izumo wiped the blood from his nose.

The chuunin stood up from the couch to hand Mitsu the roses, "You look beautiful, Mitsu-chan."

Mitsu gave Izumo an apprehensive glare as she took the flowers into her arms, "Uh huh, you're not going to disappear on me in the middle of the date, are you?

He grinned as he drew close and whispered in her ear, "If I do, you can have your wicked way with me." Izumo gave her earlobe a tiny nibble before pulling back. He was smirked to see her pupils starting to swirl.

Kakashi looked up from his book when Mitsu stumbled into the couch.

She shook her head to clear her eyes, 'Damn! All he had to do was talk and my vision went fuzzy.'

"I-I'll j-just put these in some water then," she stuttered before retreating to the hall.

She paused for a moment to pick up a glass from a planter, "What the hell?" Shrugging, she continued through the hall.

Hypnotized by her swaying hips, Izumo followed her to the kitchen like an infatuated puppy.

'This has got to be my favorite room in this house,' he thought as he watched her pull out a vase and fill it with water.

Smiling, he walked up from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Stunned to feel him so close again, Mitsu knocked some of the roses off the counter and onto the floor, "Uh oh." Without thinking, she turned and bent over at the waist to pick up the flowers.

Izumo's breath hitched as her backside hit his erection in just the right way and he could tell from the way she double checked, that she felt it too.

"Oh my," she whispered. Standing up and turning, she saw Izumo gazing down at her, lust written all over his face.

Growling, he pinned her to the kitchen counter and attacked her neck with kisses.

Mitsu was completely lost in a red haze, by the time, Kakashi wandered into the kitchen.

"Ahem! What time were those reservations for again?"

Izumo groaned as he pulled away from Mitsu, "Oh yeah. That's right. We better go now."

She nodded eagerly as she held onto his arm helplessly, "Okay, lead the way, um... please." It was going to take another minute or so for her vision to return.

The chuunin proudly grinned at his handiwork and wrapped her right arm around his left.

He turned to Kakashi as they headed out the door, "Don't wait up. And thanks for the favor."

"No problem," replied the Copy Nin as he watched the two head out for a night on the town.

Once Kakashi closed the front door, he opened up his vest to pull out a black lacy thong and swung it around his fingers, "No problem at all."

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Kurenai giggled as Asuma pulled her down on the pillowy mattress, "Wow, that really is a good bed. It feels like sinking into a huge pillow."

"I helped pick out the bed frame. It should be pretty solid too," said Asuma as he snuffed out his cigarette on the window sill, "Of course, I had no idea it was going to end up here. He told me it was for his apartment."

Kurenai looked around the tiny house, "I can't believe he kept this a secret for so long."

Asuma nuzzled her long dark hair, "Well, when you have a good portion of jealous husbands gunning for your head. You need a safe haven once in a while."

There was a closet with extra blankets and spare clothes. The tall mini-bar in a corner next to the bed was big enough to act as food pantry and there was even a tiny bathroom.

That really impressed Kurenai.

Kakashi had added a small water tank outside on the landing that allowed a small working shower and toilet to be installed. There was no guarantee that the water was warm, but when you need a shower, a cold one would do.

Asuma looked down at Kurenai with a sly grin, "Now that you're here. Is it everything you heard about?"

Kurenai smirked, "That depends... are you're going to rock my world or not?"

Asuma growled as he pounced on his girlfriend.

Not too far away, Izumo was leading Mitsu down the street. After their dinner at an outdoor cafe, he had pulled out a silk scarf to wrap around her eyes.

"You know," giggled Mitsu, "You have a better way of making me blind."

The handsome chuunin leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Yes, but if I kissed you every three minutes, we'll never get to our destination."

"Huminahuminahumina," she giggled. Mitsu could feel her eyes start to swirl again. If she was not already disoriented, she was going to fall flat on her face.

Izumo chuckled as he helped her through the alleyway. He checked to see if anyone was watching, then wrapped Mitsu in his arms, and jumped the fence. They landed on the other side where the field opened up to the forest trees.

Grinning proudly, he slowly took off the scarf from her eyes and waited for her reaction.

Mitsu's vision refocused as she looked up and around her. The full summer moon was shining high above the trees and the bright stars glittered through the lush leaves. Crickets were chirping heavily with the night breeze carrying their mating songs throughout the forest.

"Oh it's beautiful, Izumo-kun," she breathed.

"There's more," he waved a hand, "See if you can find it."

Smiling, Mitsu walked around the field and surveyed the area.

She walked up to a rather large tree and pointed, "There's too much foliage here. Why is there a genjutsu on this tree?"

Izumo stood beside her and released the jutsu, "Because...," he said as he saw her eyes widen at the large tree house, "This is our destination."

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"How dare she disobey me!" Sakiko stomped down the street, heading straight for the Hokage Tower.

Yamanaka Inoichi was not far behind her, "I can't believe my little girl lied to her mother and I, then cooked up this scheme to go on a date! I blame your daughter!"

"Excuse me," Sakiko turned on the Yamanaka clan leader, "Do you even pay attention to what your daughter does? She's a walking boy magnet!"

Inoichi then groaned angrily, "I know. I know. But this is the first time she's ever taken off to do something like this!"

Sakiko laughed in his face before she continued on to the Hokage Tower, "Shows what you know."

Inoichi and Sakiko burst through the Hokage's office to find Hyuuga Hiashi already there talking with Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama! Sakura and Ino are missing," Inoichi blurted out.

Hiashi's eyes turned cold as he glared at Inoichi, "Is that so? I guess that makes four missing teenagers running amuck in Konoha."

"Four? Running amuck," asked Sakiko then she turned to the Hokage, "Oh, the girls aren't missing. They're out on dates! When we specifically forbid them to go!"

Hiashi closed his eyes and shook his head, "That explains my problem. I think that Uzumaki took off with Hinata. I sent Neji out to find her hours ago. "

Rubbing her temples, Tsunade stood up from her chair and sighed, "Very well, I will send out some shinobi to look for them. If it helps, I'll go along."

"Shizune!" The assistant appeared in the doorway.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

"Send out two search parties. Try all the usual date places. I will accompany the parents on their search."

Shizune blinked, "But Hokage-sama. All these files need your signature and you still need to go through that stack of reports. Not to mention all the medical rounds..."

"I WILL ACCOMPANY THE PARENTS!"

The blond woman's veins bulged at the implication that she would shirk her duties for a silly goose chase. Just because there was a new sake bar she had been dying to try, it did not mean she was skipping out on work.

"Hai, Hokage-sama," the exasperated woman sighed, "I will get the search parties on the way."

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Once the two couples finished their ramen dinners, they went their separate ways. Sakura and Ino winked at each other for luck as their boyfriends led them down opposite ends of the street.

Shino and Ino made their way to the ice cream shop and settled down in a corner with their desserts. Ino happily sipped on her milkshake while Shino ate his ice cream cone.

As they sat eating their sweets, the bug master was having trouble figuring out what was wrong. For some reason, his heart pounded every time he looked at Ino. The blond would always smile back at him, yes, but something was different.

Then Ino became more blatant with her subconscious hints. She pulled back from her straw and gave the tip a tiny lick.

Shino's cone stopped in mid-air, 'I didn't just see that... did I?'

The grinning blond gave Shino a wink and this time gave her straw a longer lick with a flick off the end of her tongue.

'I did! I did just see that!'

Shino deep voice came out a little heavier than usual, "I-Ino-chan?"

"Hmmm?" Ino took a long sip on her straw, making sure his eyes honed on how tight her lips wrapped around her straw.

"What are you doing?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Enjoying my dessert," then her pink tongue drifted briefly over her red lips. Ino looked over at the clock on the wall and figured that Neji and Sakura would be at the movies by now.

"Shino-kun?"

The Aburame was now completely entranced with every syllable coming from the blonde's lips, "Hn?"

"I have a surprise for you. Come on!" She grabbed his hand and led him out the store.

Shino broke from his trance and looked around, "Ino, where are you taking me?"

"Someplace special, but we have to hurry." Ino kept tugging on Shino's sleeve.

"Why?"

"Because Tenten's ahead and I'll be damned if Forehead looses hers before I do," whispered the blond

"Pardon?"

Ino stopped for a moment to plant another heart stopping kiss on her boyfriend, "You'll see, Shino-kun."

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Neji and Sakura walked into the movie house and looked around for a comfortable place to sit. Sakura wanted to sit in the way back. Neji tried to convince her the movie would be better if they sat closer, but he thought twice when the pinkette winked at him.

"Are you sure about that, Neji-kun?" She continued to the back seats with a blushing Hyuuga in tow.

Sakura surveyed the room, taking note of where all the other movie patrons were sitting and especially making sure no one she knew was here.

Then the lights dimmed indicating the start of the trailers. In the darkness, Sakura smiled sweetly at Neji making his heart skip. He took her hand and gave it a kiss.

'Oh yeah,' mused her inner self as they both melted in his Byakugan gaze, 'I can handle this for the rest of my life.'

Sakura waited patiently for the first romantic scene to start.

'Well', she glanced at the martial arts title screen, 'Maybe a slight lull in the violence.' She moved her hand to Neji's hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

He looked down at her once with a small smile then returned to the movie.

Then she nonchalantly dropped her arm to drape over his wrist with her fingers just barely touching below the waistband of his pants.

Neji blinked for a moment to feel her fingers so close to him. He stole a glimpse at the pinkette, but saw that her attention was solely on the movie. He shrugged it off as an innocent touch and willed his race heartbeat to slow down.

Sakura waited a few minutes more for Neji to relax again before going to the really bold move. Grinning, she started waving her fingers back and forth, grazing the top of Neji's pants with her fingertips.

"Ehgheg," erupted from the Hyuuga's lips before he could do anything.

"Sshhhhhh," came voices from the front of the theater.

Turning bright red, Neji turned to glare at Sakura only to find her lifting a finger to his lips and moving her wayward hand closer to the center of her boyfriend's pants.

Neji's eyebrows shot up at her evil smirk as his girlfriend's hand increased pressure around his growing bulge.

Then the two lovebirds heard some people on the other side of the theater cry out, "Hey! What's with the flashlight?"

"Gomen, we're looking for a Haruno Sakura and Hyuuga Neji. Have you seen them?"

Neji and Sakura froze in terror.

"Oh shit," they whispered.

"Haruno Sakura? Hyuuga Neji?" The attendants moved from one section to the next.

"Hey! Try the back row," said a impatient patron.

A bright spotlight flew to the back row seats to find empty air.

Neji and Sakura crouched upside down on the movie theater ceiling then made their way to the emergency exits. Once the attendants left to check the next movie, the two shinobi slipped out and jumped for the next building rooftop.

"That was close," sighed Sakura, "Mom must have figured things out faster than I thought."

Neji used his Byakugan to check the area, "There are some shinobi showing our pictures to the theater manager and asking for us. I think uncle is looking for me as well."

The young jounin grimaced, "I guess I better take you home now."

"Hell no," frowned the pinkette, "I'm not giving up on this date so quickly."

Neji smirked, "Oh, do you have a better idea?"

Sakura returned his sly smile, "You bet, I do. Come on."

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It was after ten when Genma landed on the rooftop overlooking Kakashi's tree house. He looked around to see a familiar white haired figure making himself comfortable on the roof tiles.

"I thought you'd be here, Jiraiya," sneered Genma as he made his way to the legendary pervert, "Doing more research?"

Jiraiya glanced up from his notebook and grinned, "Oh yeah! I've been following this couple all night and I have yet to be disappointed."

Genma looked down to where Jiraiya was pointing at Izumo and Mitsu kissing in the distance.

"Heh, Izumo better hope for a back up plan," he sat to the right of Jiraiya with a smile, "Tonight's gonna get a little crowded."

The Senin's face broke into the biggest evil grin the shinobi had ever seen, "Oh, you have no idea!"

Jiraiya turned to his left to where Sai was sitting practically hanging off the edge, "Can you see everything, boy?"

Sai nodded with a fake smile, "Yes, Ero-Senin. So let me understand this, all these people are going to have sex... in that little house. And you want me to draw the pictures for your book."

"That's the idea!"

Sai scratched his exposed stomach in thought, 'This is going to take a lot of concentration. The less running commentary, the better.'

"Okay then Ero-Senin," said the artist seriously, "But I'm going to need to be alone for this."

For a minute, Jiraiya and Genma stared at Sai with disgusted glares.

"Whatever, kid," said Jiraiya, as he and Genma moved to the other end of the roof, "Just keep the pictures clean."

Confused, Sai blinked, "But you said..."

"You know what I mean!"

Next chapter... LEMONADE (What you get with five lemons and a lime!)


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own Naruto.

The story is very late, but I hope it was worth the wait. Many thanks for the reviews Hpnerdnarutonut and there's going to be plenty of Sak/Neji and Shino/Ino.

Major Lemon Alert! For those of you who do not wish to read the lemons, I will tell you when to stop reading...

Alright,

STOP READING!

Chapter 13: Lemonade! (What you get when you squash a bunch of lemons together tightly) Okay, Make With The Happy!

Genma and Jiraiya looked down in the meadow below, watching Izumo and Mitsu lean against the Tree house trunk, covering each other in passionate kisses.

"I swear I saw that outfit before," mumbled Genma as he pulled out a fresh senbon, "The dress is familiar, but I don't remember it being so...full." He raised his hands to chest and bounced them up and down quite meaningfully.

Jiraiya pulled out another worn notebook from his pack and rifled through the pages, "Ah yes! Here it is. That's the dress Mitarashi Anko wore on her date with you to the movies. Although, from what I have written here, neither one of you actually watched the movie. Heh, heh!"

The brown-haired shinobi glared at the pervy sage, "Are you that hard up for money, you dirty old man?"

"Nope," Jiraiya laughed aloud, "Just that hard up."

Lowering his head, Genma groaned at the horrible joke, "Just keep out of my business, old man."

The Senbon shinobi peered back up feeling all the more agitated, "Damn, how long are they going to make out? Get the fireworks going already!"

Jiraiya sighed at the impatient man, "Newbie! Give 'em time. Things'll heat up soon enough. I bet it's pretty hot inside the tree house already."

Inside Kakashi's Tree house, the beautiful Kurenai had taken off Asuma's vest and was slowly unbuttoning the sexy jounin's shirt.

He slightly moved his shoulders to shrug it off, while Kurenai enjoyed tracing the muscles along his chest. Smirking, Asuma reached to the side of Kurenai's red and white dress and pulled down the zipper. Then he slipped the dress off her body and dropped it to the floor. Licking his lips, he took a moment to relish the silky red lingerie clinging to Kurenai's lush bosom and smooth milky skin.

Humming his approval, he leaned into her neck and covered it with slow kisses. Asuma felt Kurenai's hands unbuckle his belt then push their way under the waistband to slide down his underwear and pants. He kicked off the constricting clothes revealing his hardened member underneath.

"Let's get this damn thing off," he murmured as he quickly unsnapped her bra from her back.

Kurenai giggled, "You're getting real good at that." She removed the bra from her breasts and threw it in a random direction.

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The burgundy beauty sighed dreamily as Izumo pulled away to catch more air in his lungs. The handsome shinobi looked down at her from behind his dark bangs. Kami, he had fallen hard for this woman in just a week. It made absolutely no sense, but all he could think about was creating a future with her. The chuunin found himself wanting the whole package... coming home to welcoming arms from a mission, the fierce fights, the amazing make up sex, the noisy children... and especially Kana.

Cheeky Kana-chan was a hoot and he could easily see that raising her as his own would never be boring.

'Instant fatherhood at twenty-seven,' Izumo chuckled as he shook his head, 'Kotetsu will never let me live it down!'

Mitsu could not see Izumo clearly at this point, but she distinctly heard his heavy breathing and a chuckle rumbling in his chest. With a soft smile, she lifted a hand to his chest to enjoy the feel of his thundering heartbeat.

Izumo smiled back, then caressing her cheeks in his hands, watched the woman in his arms flush at his touch. Lifting her chin, he planted one more gentle kiss on her lips.

'Time to get the show on the road,' he quickly bent down and swept her up in his arms, "Shall we go upstairs?" Izumo gave her another loving nestle before sending chakra into his feet.

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Kurenai took a deep breath when Asuma's beard tickled her skin as he slowly kissed his way down her stomach. He gave her torso a long lick before crawling backwards to remove the last piece of lingerie in his way. Looking into her lust filled crimson eyes, he lowered his tongue to reach into her folds. Kurenai flung her head back as her boyfriend sent delicious chills throughout her body.

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!

"What the hell is that," Asuma pushed himself up to face his girlfriend.

Kurenai gaped for a moment then remembered what the snake kunoichi mentioned in passing, "Anko said that Kakashi put in an alarm jutsu in case someone broke the genjutsu and started to climb the trunk."

Asuma and Kurenai rolled to the other side of the bed and looked out the small window. They saw Izumo climbing with his chakra and carrying a giggling Mitsu up the tree. The burgundy beauty was eagerly nibbling the man's neck while unbuttoning the top of his green dress shirt.

"Fuck," Asuma pulled Kurenai from the window.

"No time," she joked. Then they threw themselves into the closet.

Kurenai looked around for a moment, "Our clothes," she shrieked.

Cursing, Asuma pulled open the closet door and both of them scrambled to pick up their discarded clothing. The closet door closed the same time the front door opened up.

"Now what do we do," whispered Kurenai as she struggled to figure out which item was hers. The only light the two had was glimmering moonlight streaming from underneath the closet door.

"I don't know. Kakashi told me we would have the Tree house tonight," grumbled Asuma as he looked for his boxers.

Kurenai paused as she narrowed her eyes in thought, "Did he say we could have it the whole night?"

The jounin slapped his forehead, "I'm gonna kill him."

Kurenai sighed, "At least we can find out if our plan worked," then leaned on the wood door to listen to the couple outside. She could hear Izumo muffled whispers through the barrier. She smiled to hear Mitsu respond so readily to the chuunin.

Asuma's face broke into a sly grin as he watched his girlfriend listen in on the other couple, "Anko was right. You can be kinky," then wrapped his arms around her waist to kiss the back of Kurenai's neck.

Leaning her head against the door, Kurenai lost focus on the heavy breathing from outside and melted from her boyfriend's spine-tingling attentions.

"Oh, I don't know, Asuma," she moaned quietly, "What if they hear us?"

They suddenly heard Izumo snarl quite loudly along with Mitsu's loud gasp and screaming her lover's name.

Kurenai could feel Asuma's grin on her neck, "If you can keep from screaming this time, they'll never know we're here." Kurenai's breathing turned ragged when she felt Asuma's fingers glide down her back and slip into her moist slit from behind.

"Ooooh," the dark-haired kunoichi soft whines of approval mixed with Mitsu's heavy moans.

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Mitsu's vision cleared when Izumo had placed her on the landing and he re-set the genjutsu. With a wink, he turned the knob and opened the door. She was about to step through when Izumo swept her up in his arms again.

"I'd like to keep to tradition," he whispered in her ear.

Mitsu blinked, "Tradition? What tra- Oh!" She blushed when she realized he was talking about carrying her "Over The Threshold". Sighing sweetly, she leaned to his cheek and proceeded to smother him with kisses.

Grinning happily, Izumo caught her lips then he casually closed the door with his foot. He gently laid her down on the bed to climbed over her body.

"Mmmm," he moaned as he covered her with kisses all over her face and neck, "It's been absolute torture not taking you on that training field this afternoon. I wanted you so.." he trailed his tongue across her neck.

"So," he sucked hard on a pulse point then bit down with his teeth, "So badly." He felt her shiver as his words rumbled across her skin.

Mitsu gasped as Izumo attacked her skin with stinging love bites and she could caring less if anyone else saw them. Clutching his back, Mitsu pressed him close as she felt another fresh bruise created.

Izumo gave the hickey he created a soft caress with his tongue then pulled back to admire the result. Back at the training field, he had seen the bruise the Hyuuga had left on Mitsu and wanted to replace the small purple mark with his own. That spot was now big, red, and unmistakably his.

'Mine,' he crowed inwardly as he looked into her mottled ruby eyes, 'Do whatever you want to her, Hyuuga-sama. She will always be mine!'

Now in an animal frenzy, the chuunin threw off his shirt, bursting buttons along the way.

Sensing his urgency, Mitsu quickly reached behind her neck and tugged at the halter strap, releasing its hold on her upper body. Closing her eyes in relief, she took in a deep breath of oxygen that she had been dying to take all evening. Then glancing up, Mitsu saw a hypnotized Izumo staring at her newly freed bosom and him creeping lower to nuzzle the soft flesh with his nose.

Izumo's pants now bordered on painful. He watched Mitsu's breast burst free of the binding dress and now heaved lusciously, inches away from his face. Breathing hard, he pressed his lips to the sweet smelling skin and used his mouth to pull down the top edge all the way down. Snarling in anger, his left eye twitched erratically to see a bra still in his way.

Mitsu's adrenalin spiked as she yipped from Izumo's tightening grip on her body. Then he descended on her bosom with every intent to rip that corset off with his teeth, "IZUMO!"

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Jiraiya and Genma's eyes lit up with surprise to hear Mitsu cry Izumo's name. If there was anything they were expecting, it was a loud bitch fight between the two couples over who got the house. From the sound of it, couple number two had no idea the first couple were there... or did they?

"Hey, Kid," the white haired Senin headed for Sai, who was busy scrawling with his chalk, "Can you see what's going on in there?"

Sai gave Jiraiya a faux smile as his hands continued to work their magic, "Smokie the Beard has Red Eyes moaning in the closet. Shagster is on the bed and attacking Techni-Colored Freak's underwear."

The Senin's jaw dropped at the detailed information from the young shinobi, "How did you know that?"

A fly flew over Jiraiya's shoulder and landed on another clean page of Sai's notebook. It settled down then transformed into simple pictures describing the scenes inside the house.

'Oh yeah,' thought Jiraiya as he scratched the back of his head, "Good job! Keep up the good work!"

Sai kept his eyes on the picture he was creating, but his calm voice had a slight edge to it, "I would if I had less questions to deal with, Ero-Senin."

Genma held back a smirk as the dejected legendary pervert sat back down, "You hired him. You only have yourself to blame."

Then two lechers heard giggling echoing from the alleyway entry. They turned around in time to see Kotetsu and Anko making their way to the open field. Both voyeurs smiled.

"Now this is gonna get really interesting," grinned Jiraiya, rubbing his hands together.

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Inside the dark closet, Kurenai lost all sense of her surroundings. The cries and growls outside the door died in her ears and when she closed her eyes, Kurenai concentrated on the wonderful things Asuma was doing to her body.

Asuma felt his fingers becoming more drenched from his girlfriend's increasing arousal. He kicked off his boxers once again and leaned close to rub himself over her entrance all the while pumping inside her with his fingers.

"Asuma," she whispered as she felt her body tense, "Oh, Asuma." Kurenai clutched at her boyfriend's neck for support as his hands continued to fill her body with throbbing pleasure.

With lust burning in his eyes, Asuma could no longer hold back. He ripped his coated fingers from Kurenai and turned her to face him. Kissing her furiously, Asuma pulled her down to the floor, sat against the back of the closet to impaled himself into Kurenai as she sat on his lap. Still wary of the couple outside, he bit back a groan as Kurenai started rocking her hips forward on his length.

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"Come on! Hurry up," giggled Anko as she dragged Kotetsu down the alley and into the field, "Trust me. You're gonna love this surprise."

Kotetsu sighed wearily, "I don't know, Anko. You're surprises tend to backfire."

Anko pouted for moment, "Hey ladies' night was a nice surprise. Don't you think?"

"For me... yes," grinned Kotetsu, "You, on the other hand, have D rank missions until further notice."

Stopping in the middle of the field, Anko groped the spiky haired nin's ass, "Don't worry! I got permission from Hatake."

"Hatake," the man blinked as realization dawned on him, "Do you mean to tell me, you're taking me to his Tree house?"

Anko squealed happily as Kotetsu dragged her to the tree trunk.

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An irate Izumo managed to remove Mitsu's bra with one last snap of his hands. Calming down from his little temper tantrum, he dropped the offending item on the bed then turned back to his real target. The chuunin looked down to see there was now a fully naked woman waiting underneath him.

Wanting to keep Izumo from getting annoyed at Anko's dress, Mitsu had wiggled the halter dress down her stomach, over her hips, and flicked it off her ankles.

"I don't care what you do to the bra," she purred softly, "But the dress isn't mine."

Groaning, Izumo hurried to get his belt unbuckled and pulled his pants down his legs, "Oh Mitsu!" He sank down on the bed and pushed his harden length inside the burgundy woman's already wet sheath.

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!

"What the hell is that," Mitsu whispered in Izumo's ear as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

The chuunin growled as he continued pressing into her, bouncing on the mattress, "Don't know! Don't care!"

"Wow, Kotetsu-kun! If I had known you would act like this, I would've told you about Kakashi's Tree house sooner!"

Izumo and Mitsu froze as they heard Anko and Kotetsu's laughter drift up from the intruding couple's walk up the trunk.

"Shit! Shit! And double shit," Izumo and Mitsu both shouted as they rushed off the bed. Mitsu shook her head as hard as she could to get the swirls out of her eyes.

Finally able to focus, she grabbed the dress hanging off the bed and wiggled back into it at super speed. Izumo quickly pulled up his pants and frantically searched for his shirt. He snatched it off the mini-bar and turned around in time to see the burgundy woman grab the shaking doorknob.

The knob rattled in her hands as Mitsu hissed out, "What do we do?"

Izumo looked around for a way out, "The closet!" He opened up the closet, but something was barring the door.

"What the fuck?"

Then he heard a gruff voice that sounded a lot like Asuma, "We were here first!" Then the door slammed in Izumo's face.

"What was that," asked Mitsu as she felt the knob slip in her sweaty hands.

Hearing soft moans from the closet, Izumo scratched the back of his head, "You don't wanna know. Come on! In the bathroom!" He opened up the bathroom door and waited inside for her.

Before she could protest, Mitsu felt the rattling knob stop. Thanking the heavens, she took the opportunity to join Izumo and closed the door behind her.

"Anko, is there supposed to be a key," asked Kotetsu, "The door won't open." Anko finished re-setting the genjutsu and turned around.

The snake kunoichi shook her head, "No, I don't think so. Here let me try." She reached from around Kotetsu and easily pushed the door open. Looking around for anything suspicious, they both shrugged then jumped straight for the bed.

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In the closet, Asuma and Kurenai heard the warning bell go off the second time.

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!

They thoroughly ignored it.

Instead, Kurenai sped up the pace as she felt her insides tighten with exquisite bliss. Asuma grunts increased and he pushed his hips upwards to meet Kurenai's body.

"So close," she whispered, "I'm so damn close."

"Kami, baby! Me too!"

They heard Izumo turn the knob, but instead of jumping from their position, Asuma just stuck his foot out to stop the door.

"We were here first," he growled before kicking the door shut, "Keep going, baby. Keep going!"

The brunette's face contorted as her body tensed in the familiar rush of hormones and fell over the edge into a powerful peaking. Feeling Kurenai shudder and flail in his arms, Asuma finally let go and released inside her.

Not caring a wit who heard, Asuma's hoarse cry filled the closet along with his girlfriends whimpers and moans.

"Did you hear something," whispered Mitsu as she leaned over to the shower and put her ear to the tile wall.

Izumo quickly pulled her back, placing himself between her and the thin wall, "Nope. Didn't hear a thing."

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Anko spun Kotetsu underneath her and began to rip the clothes off the man, "I'm going to make you scream 'till you can't scream no more!" Then she slid down her body suit and mini.

"What about you're coat, babe?" Kotetsu continued to shimmie out of his pants while taking in his girlfriend's hot bod.

Sneering evilly, Anko licked his skin from sternum to ear, "This time the trench stays!" She immediately impaled herself on his member and rolled her hips to his.

The gasping blue haired nin threw his head back on the pillow, "Oh go, babe, go."

The headboard hit the wall harder and harder as Anko and Kotetsu threw all they had into their lovemaking.

Both Izumo and Mitsu leaned in on the bathroom door to hear Kotetsu and Anko enthusiastic activities.

"Well damn," pouted Mitsu as she looked up at Izumo, "If they have that much stamina, we may be stuck here all night."

Trying to block out the noises, Izumo coughed and tapped Mitsu on the shoulder, "Here's your bra, but I couldn't find you're panties. They're probably under the bed somewhere."

Blushing, she took the bra and placed it on the toilet seat, "You don't have to worry about the panties."

"You have them already? Wow," he smiled down at her, "You're quick in getting dressed. I didn't even see you take them off earlier."

She winced as she tried to figure out how to tell him, "That's because I didn't take them off."

Izumo shook his head in confusion for a minute, "Come again?"

Mitsu turned an even brighter red, but she decided that it was better to spit out the truth, "Well, you see, I had a nice matching set picked out and I laid them right on the bed next to each other. And then I jumped in the shower. But this was before you and Kakashi came barging into the bathroom. Which by the way!" She slapped him on the arm.

"Ow!" Izumo clutched his arm while trying to make sense of all the nervous blithering that erupted from his date.

"And when I came back out there was the bra, but no panties. I looked under the bed, around the bed. I even tore apart the bed looking for the damn thing. I had half a mind just to wear a mismatching pair, but I figured that would make me seem colorblind. And I really didn't want to keep you waiting," she took a moment to breathe then nervously fidgeted her fingers together, "Soooo I just went... without."

After filtering the Mitsu-speak, Izumo peered at her from behind his dark hair, "Do you mean to tell me, that you've been walking around commando this whole time?"

"Um, yes?"

Izumo went from zero to sixty in two seconds. Pressing her against the tiny faucet, he hungrily dove for a kiss and growled, "This whole night I've been dying to have you. Now I find out, that all I had to do was lift that tight dress and take you right there!"

Mitsu moaned into his mouth as she felt his hands grab and pull on the bottom of her dress, bunching it up around her waist. The walls surrounding them began blurring as her pupils began to swirl.

"Izumo," she whispered when he left her lips and moved down her neck, "What about the others outside."

He stopped for a moment and thought, 'If Asuma could do it, so could I!'

"Fuck 'em," and dropped to her burgundy curls and shoved his tongue deep inside her.

"AH!"

Her already fuzzy vision went from barely clear to outright blind.

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Outside the tree house, Jiraiya was nervously pacing across the rooftop, "I don't get it. There should be an all out brawl going on! What in the world is happening in there?"

Genma sighed as he picked himself up from stargazing, "Why don't you go take a look yourself?"

The Senin shook his head, "I can't. Kakashi's alarm jutsu is set to go off if I even get one foot near the damn trunk. Apparently, my protege doesn't want me near his romantic interludes."

"Smart man," mumbled Genma then raised his voice again, "Just ask the Artist over there. See if he's willing to share any useful info."

Jiraiya hurried to where Sai was sitting, "Hey kid! I know you don't want me looking over your shoulder..."

"But," asked Sai as his brush quickly flew over the parchment.

"But I really want to know what's going on in there," the pervert whined annoyingly.

Sai calmly put down his brush, pulled out a few choice pieces, and handed them to the Senin in a folder, "Now go away."

Jiraiya waited until he was seated next to Genma to open up the folder.

"Holy shit!" What they saw brought out a couple of nosebleeds.

The first picture depicted Kurenai in the throws of ecstasy with Asuma clinging to her for dear life. The rest of the page was darkened with a small slit of light from a closet door.

The shocked men turned to the next page where Izumo's head was buried between Mitsu's thighs with his hands pushing up the bottom of her skirt. The two men could clearly see Mitsu's exposed leg resting next to a small sink.

"The bathroom?"

The last parchment was a quick chalk drawing of Anko wearing her coat, on the bed, riding Kotetsu like a jockey.

"Well, color me surprised," chuckled the senbon shinobi, "Who knew those guys had it in them?"

Jiraiya had stopped listening and was now writing furiously in his notebook. He would occasionally glance back at the pictures in Genma's hands then his pen would go back to scribbling.

Genma took some more lingering views of the masterpieces then carefully placed them on the rooftop, "Thank goodness that's all of them. There's no more room at the inn."

"I think it's this way, Shino-kun," came an excited girl's voice, "Sakura showed it to me only a few hours ago. Down this alley!"

Jiraiya looked up from his notebook and looked down into the alley, "What are they doing here? I thought that pretty pink nurse and her Hyuuga prince were coming tonight?"

Genma shot up from his seat and whispered harshly, "What? Are you kidding me? There's no where else to go in that house!"

Jiraiya shrugged and wiggled his eyebrows, "Looks like we're gonna get our fireworks after all!"

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Kotetsu furiously met Anko's hips as the scrumptious snake kunoichi worked faster on top of him.

"Oh Kami, Kotetsu-kun," Anko shoulders shook as her head flung back, "Yes!"

The nin felt her body shake and her inner muscles contract with great intensity. He reached up to her nipples and rubbed them between his fingers. Unable to stand the sensations, Anko stilled for a moment, but her sharp cry betrayed her impending completion. Growling, Kotetsu rolled the woman over and kept thrusting furiously as Anko screamed her satisfaction then fell limp in his arms.

His mouth opened in a what looked to be the beginning of a shout, but all that erupted was a hoarse whisper, "Yes, Babe! Oh god, yes!"

Anko felt her inner body fill with Kotetsu's fluid as his shoulders shook. She sighed into his arms and rubbed her nose along his neck.

"Damn! I still haven't made you scream," she giggled as a tired Kotetsu smirked down at her.

"Sorry, Anko-chan. I'm just not a screamer, but girl, you have got some lungs!"

Anko laughed out loud, "Thank you. Thank you very much."

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!

The snake kunoichi knocked Kotetsu aside and looked out the window, "What the hell is that? Why are there two kids climbing the trunk?"

Kotetsu came up from behind and studied the two shadows closely, "That looks like Aburame Shino and Yamanaka Ino. What are they doing here?"

Now fully dressed, Kurenai heard Kotetsu's exclamation and pressed her ear to the closet door again, "What!? Shino's here? And with Ino?"

"Oh no," groaned Asuma as he finished pulling up his pants, "Her father is going to have my hide. I better go out there and stop this."

Kurenai grabbed her boyfriend and held him fast, "You will do no such thing! This is something they both want and Inoichi has to accept the fact that his little girl is grown up."

In the bathroom, Mitsu and Izumo were too busy to register any alarm bell. The burgundy beauty's panting and moaning shut out any other noises.

Flicking his tongue in a frenzy, Izumo was now pumping three fingers inside Mitsu, who had to bite down on her own hand to keep from screaming.

"Ah! Ah! Ah," her voice quivered as the chuunin felt her walls grasp and pull at his fingers, followed by the resulting flow of her climaxing.

Catching her breath, Mitsu pulled her smug lover off the floor, "My turn!" She pressed Izumo onto the sink and ran her hands down his bare chest and to lower body.

Not bothering to wait for her vision to clear, she groped her way down Izumo and unbuttoned his pants. She took his semi-erect length into her mouth and rolled her tongue over his tip.

"Oh Kami!" He raised his hands to the wall to steady himself, while he watched Mitsu's burgundy hair bob over his crotch.

Mitsu moaned happily as she felt his member grow hard in her mouth. She pulled her head back, being sure to rub her lips and tongue on the underside of his full erection. She loved hearing Izumo hiss and groan because of her. She wanted to hear him do more. Mitsu purred a tuneless song from her throat, making sure he felt every vibration along his sensitive skin.

"Fuck," Izumo growled, "If you keep that up, Mitsu-chan, I'll have to take you right away."

She chuckled enticingly sending more thrills into his spine.

"Oh god, that's it. Come here."

"Nuh-nuh," she mumbled as she sucked harder on him.

"Wh-what? Ah!" Izumo's lower body froze then he looked down to see Mitsu glaring up at him. He could see that she was blind with lust, but her teeth were bared and they lightly scraped the skin half way up his erection.

"I'm not going anywhere," she growled around his girth, making sure he understood the threat she was implying. Then she removed her teeth and continued to suck and lick along his length.

Izumo closed his eyes as he let the wonderful sensations take over, "Yes, Ma'am!"

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Those who were unoccupied at the moment, heard Ino's voice carry through the glass, "Apparently, Kakashi-sensei likes to bring his secret affairs here. I thought this would be a perfect place to go."

"Are you sure about this Ino?" The proximity of Shino's voice told the after glowing couple that the two teenagers were practically running up the trunk.

The door burst open, just as Kotetsu and Anko rolled off either side of the bed then rolled underneath it.

"Huh," said Ino, "It's a little dark in here. Let me pull back the window curtains."

Clothing that had been tossed onto the floor were being swiped right and left as the young blond made her way to the window. Walking her way between the bed and the wall, Ino pushed open the flimsy curtains and tied them back, filling the room with more moonlight.

"That's better, isn't it, Shino-kun." Ino turned around with a bright smile, but found a rather nervous boyfriend shifting at the doorway.

The blond went past the bed again and walked up to Shino, "Are you alright?"

No, he was not alright. His beetles were telling him they were not alone. There were people in the closet, bathroom, and right under the bed.

Strangely, there was no ill intent emanating from the people. In fact, what the bugs were picking up was sex pheromones... A lot of sex pheromones. Some had just finished and some were still going. Shino looked over Ino's head to see the mussed bed behind her. He figured it was best if she stayed in the dark.

"I don't think this was a good idea, Ino-chan. Maybe we should go." He reached for her hand, but she grabbed his arm and pulled back with all her strength. Caught off guard, Shino landed on the bed with a thump and found himself hovering over the alluring blond.

"I-Ino?"

Ino was not going to let a small case of nerves ruin such an important evening. She was going to do everything in her power to seduce the handsome young man come hell or high water. Her hand lovingly caressed his cheek in an attempt to soothe her boyfriend.

She lifted another hand to his hood and gently pushed it off his hair, "Oh Shino-kun, I know that you must be nervous," She proceeded to unbutton his coat while looking up at him with her baby blues, "But you shouldn't worry. It's my first time too."

Anko threw her head into Kotetsu's shoulder to stifle a snicker, "Yeah, this should be quick."

The young Aburame was torn between two decisions. The first was to run away... far away, bringing a furious Ino along. The second was to stay and enjoy the amorous attentions of the blond vixen below him. Usually, Shino relied on his destruction beetles to help curb his raging hormones. This time they were no help. With all the pheromones in the air, they were hornier than he was. Besides, what do they care if there happened to be others around. To them, this was normal.

Seeing his hesitation, Ino decide that now was the time to bring out her secret weapon. After pulling off his sunglasses, the young blond started unbuttoning her own dress, making sure she arched her back in just the right way. Sure enough, Shino's eyes were trapped into watching bare skin revealed behind the blue fabric. Ino pulled up her hem to finish the last few buttons, then slowly shrugged the dress off her shoulders.

Shino was breathing hard as Ino unwrapped herself like the best birthday he had ever received. He gazed down at her matching set of purple bra and bikini shimmering alluringly in the moonlight.

"Shino-kun," whispered Ino. She sat up to close the distance between them and laid soft kisses on his neck.

"I don't want anyone else to have my first time with, my Shino-kun."

Two female voices squealed quietly from the closet and under the bed, "Aw! That's so cute!"

He grit his teeth as Ino undid his pants and used her feet to push them to his ankles, "Ino, are you sure about this?" Then his jaw dropped as she unhooked the front of her bra and pushed down her bikini, revealing her luscious breasts and curvy hips.

"Absolutely," she reached behind his neck and pulled his lips into an intense kiss. The last of Shino's resolve disappeared and he responded quickly to Ino's delicious mouth. His hands immediately made their way to Ino's bosom and relished the soft and supple feel in his palms.

Ino moaned as her chest was wonderfully and tantalizingly massaged by this natural genius, "Oh Shino-kun, that feels so good!"

Shino kissed down her neck, along the cushioned flesh, until finally sucking her nipple into his mouth.

"Ah god, Shino!" The young blond arched her back, pushing her breast higher for more.

The young Aburame continued to roll the nipple between his tongue and teeth while his other hand pinched and rubbed the other side. He instinctively pressed his hardened self between her inner thigh and was surprised to find the skin already slick with desire. Curious about just how wet Ino was, he removed his hand from her breast and reached into her body.

Ino let out a high pitched gasp and her eyes closed from the rush of new pleasures Shino was sending her. Shino smirked against her nipple when he found her practically gushing.

He pulled himself up and place himself at her entrance, "Are you ready, Ino?" He looked into her blue eyes waiting for the signal.

She licked her lips in anticipation and nodded eagerly. Wanting to help her get through this in the least painful way, Shino reached down to her clit and started rubbing it. The moment Ino threw her head back in pleasure, he thrust himself inside, breaking her hymen in one go.

Pleasure mixed with intense pain for Ino as she gasped for air. She could feel Shino rubbing her clitoris in a fantastic massage and it was doing a good job distracting her from the pain. Pretty soon there was nothing left, but the pleasure.

"Now Shino," she said.

Not needing to be told twice. Holding back, while paying attention to Ino was driving him and his beetles insane. He sat upright, being sure to keep himself inside. He used both hands to grab her hips and scooted her towards him. Shino slowly pulled then pushed his length inside while letting Ino meet him half way with her own pelvic thrusts.

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Hearing the bedsprings creaking again, Asuma risked a peek out the closet door, "Well, it looks like their going at it. It's too late to stop them now. So, you can let the vines go from my feet now, Kurenai."

"Alright then," smiled the brunette as she dispelled the jutsu, "Hmmm, it looks like Anko and Kotetsu are safe under the bed and I'm guessing that Izumo and Mitsu are hiding in the bathroom. I wonder what they're up to?"

"Ah Fuck, Mitsu! I'm almost there!" Izumo thrust into her hot mouth as she kept sucking and rubbing her hands along his hard member. She could care less that he was pushing close to the back of her throat. She controlled her gag reflex and continued to massage his as much of his length with her tongue.

Mitsu could feel her own arousal gaining height just from knowing how close he was. She cupped his scrotum with one hand and lightly scratched the skin just underneath it. Knowing how he would react, she braced herself for the incoming deluge.

"Oh Kami-sama! Ah, Yeah!" Izumo flew over the edge and let loose in her mouth. She gulped down his semen, sucking hungrily.

Still quite unable to see, Mitsu used her hands to climb up Izumo's body until her fingers felt the panting breath from his lips.

Izumo brought his hand to the back of her neck and crashed his lips onto hers. He groaned as he tasted a bit of himself still on her tongue. Oh man, he was so in love with this woman.

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Ino felt the tension in her body build up into an unfathomable high, until she reached that long stretch of pure bliss right before the mind blowing orgasm that crashed into her body. It felt like every muscle was moving on their own accord, spasming and contracting in a rhythmic beat.

"Oh, my god! Oh, my god!"

Shino gasped as he felt the blonde's insides milk his member in a throbbing vise. Grunting heavily, he allowed Ino's body to skyrocket him to an fantastic high. He bent down and kissed Ino deeply as his fluid filled her inside.

"Ino-chan," his arms felt like jelly and he nearly collapsed on top of her, but he had just enough strength to push himself to the other side of the bed.

Brown looked into blue as Ino and Shino lovingly snuggled closer to each other.

"Hmmm," sighed Ino happily, "I don't think anything could ruin this evening."

Outside on a rooftop, Sai had just finished scratching out a pencil drawing of Shino kissing Ino during their most intimate of embraces.

Jiraiya risked a glimpse over the kid's shoulder and grinned, "Hey! The bug master's a natural... Just like his father. Ah yes, I got a lot of material back in the day from that fella!"

Putting the drawing down, Sai continued to ignore the pervy sage behind him and started in on a painting of Izumo holding Mitsu tight in his arms. He had finished half of it when he felt a familiar chakra signature bouncing it's way towards them. Dropping what he was doing, Sai quickly put his equipment and artwork away in his pack.

"Oi! What are you doing, kid," Jiraiya jumped around while pointing to the tree house, "There's gotta be more inspiration in there somewhere."

"That's not it, Ero-Senin," said Sai as he flew across the rooftop, past a surprised Genma and jumped into the alleyway.

Genma stood up and surveyed the area, "Uh oh, Pinky and the Prince are headed this way!"

Jiraiya turned around to see a speck of pink and a white blur floating over the roofs heading their way, "Shit. Follow the kid!"

The Jounin and Senin disappeared into the shadows below and masked their chakra. Sai crouched next the dumpster the other two were hiding behind and kept his eyes focused on the roof. Remembering Neji's Byakugan, Jiraiya quickly activated his invisibility jutsu, covering the three shinobi just in time.

"This way, Neji-kun. We're almost there." Sakura's voice echoed down the alley to three sets of ears.

Neji and Sakura landed on the rooftop where Genma had been sitting and looked around to see if they had been followed.

"Well, the coast is clear," the pinkette smiled brightly, "Kaka-sensei sure knows how to find hiding places!"

Turning off his Byakugan, Neji gave a small smile and pulled her hand to his lips, "We should thank him properly when next we see him."

Sakura laughed, "Sure thing, we can name our firstborn after him! Eeep, NEJI!" Sakura jumped when she felt her boyfriend pinch her ass.

"Our firstborn will not be named Kakashi," his pearl eyes looked down at her pointedly as he watched her giggle.

"Okay then," she excitedly hopped around Neji, "How about Naruto? A darling little Naruto-chan running around the Hyuuga Main house with his bottom hanging out of his diaper!"

Neji choked at how vivid Sakura described the child, "Hell no!"

The Hyuuga prodigy pulled Sakura into an embrace and whispered in her ear, "Our first son will be named Hizashi."

"Hizashi," the pinkette leaned into his arms and rolled the name over her tongue, "Yes, I like it. I like it a lot!"

Neji smirked, "In that case," he kissed along her jawline and nibbled on her ear, "We should get to work on that."

"Work, work, work," sighed Sakura as she turned her neck, giving Neji more access, "We are such workaholics!"

"Hn," agreed Neji as he pulled down the vest's zipper and worked his way down.

"If we're going to get this assignment done, we need to step into my office," murmured the pinkette.

"Hn," his eyes lit up for a moment to see her flesh toned bra revealed under the bright red leather.

"There's just one problem," she shivered as she felt his soft lips linger over her breast.

"Hn?" He licked the fabric where her nipple was already protruding, making her gasp.

Sakura took a second to regain her senses then looked down at her dark-haired shinobi, "You gotta catch me first." She pulled out of his arms and flipped off the roof with a giggle.

A predatory grin spread across his face as he watched the girl run through the meadow, "Hn!"

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"Eeep, NEJI!"

Shino and Ino shot up from the bed when they heard Sakura's delighted shriek. They rushed to the window to see where it came from. Shino's beetles told him to look up, not down.

"There they are," he pointed to the rooftop on the far side of the field, "If we hurry, we can get out of here before they suspect anything."

Ino nodded, "Right! Need clothes first then remake the bed."

They hurried to pick up the scattered clothing, handing each other whoever's clothing they found. Ino picked up a pair of blue boxers and handed them to Shino.

"Huh, I thought you had brown boxers on. Oh well," she turned to the mattress and stripped off the blood-spotted sheet.

Shino dropped the blue boxers on the floor and swiftly kicked them under the bed.

He got a soft, "Thanks," from underneath.

Pulling the pillow covers off, Ino turned to her boyfriend, "Could you get a clean set from the closet, Shino-kun."

Shino surreptitiously gave a soft knock on the closet door and found a clean set of blankets, bedsheets and pillow cases shoved into his arms, "Thanks, sensei." he murmured.

He handed Ino the sheets and helped her fix the bed.

"What do we do with the dirty sheets," asked Ino.

Shino looked around then saw Kurenai's hand snapping at him from the closet, "I got it, you finish getting dressed."

As Ino turned around to button up the last of part of her dress, Shino handed Kurenai the dirty sheets, "Thanks again, sensei."

"Hey, what are sexy big sisters for," she whispered back.

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing!

Loud and highly annoyed groans filled the one room house and sent Ino jumping for the ceiling, "What the hell is that?"

"It's too late to think about that now," sighed Shino, "Neji and Sakura are on their way up. We gotta hide."

Ino scrambled for the closet.

Shino stood in front of it, "No room there."

Shrugging, she rushed for the bathroom door. She opened it to see Izumo and Mitsu, wrapped in each other's arms, still kissing.

Glancing over, Izumo reached over with his hand, "No room here either," then slammed it shut.

Shino watched his girlfriend's eye twitch.

"Should I not bother looking under the bed as well."

He nodded then pulled her to the mini-bar, "Come on." He opened up the mini-bar and handed Ino the several bottles of sake, one by one.

The blond struggled to hold all the bottles in her arms.

Shino opened up one with a twist top and held it up to Ino's mouth, "Here, it looks like you need this." He tipped the top onto her lips and made sure she took a large sip.

Ino coughed as her throat burned from the alcohol, "D-damn! Shino, when were you planning to tell me about all these people?"

Shino pulled Ino into the mini-bar and closed the large cabinet shut, "Drink some more sake, Ino-chan." Then tipped the bottle to her lips again.

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Thinking she had another few more seconds before Neji caught up to her, Sakura dispelled the genjutsu and jumped onto the tree house landing.

"Oof," Sakura felt Neji's hard body knock into hers and pin her against the front door, "Aw gee, you caught me." She looked up at him with sultry emerald eyes and gave him a pout.

Neji leaned down and hovered over her lips, "Hmmm, I want my reward now."

"As you wish, Hyuuga-sama," Sakura pushed open the front door and pulled Neji inside.

The pinkette led Neji to sit on the bed as she stood in front of him. He looked up at her with a questioning gaze, but she smirked and gave him a wink.

She raised her hands to the red leather vest and slowly pulled the zipper the rest of the way down. Slipping the vest off her torso, she turned her back to him and unzipped the side of her black mini-skirt. The pinkette made sure that his attention followed her hands as she stripped in front of her boyfriend.

Neji's pearly orbs honed in on her hands' work, licking his lips in anticipation. He watched as she shimmied the mini off her hips and slipped it down her perfect legs. If she kept going at this infuriating pace, he would end up ravaging her on the floor. Much to his satisfaction, she sauntered up to him with her sexy boots still on and unhooking the bra clasp behind her. Neji pulled her close as she took off her bra and gently laid it on the bed.

Neji took a breast into his mouth and rubbed his tongue over the whole nipple. Moaning, Sakura reached into Neji's long, silky hair with her fingers and pressed her body further into his mouth. She was so focused on how Neji was suckling her nipple, the pinkette never noticed that he hooked his thumbs into her bikini and pulled it down to her ankles. It was when he pressed his hand up her inner thigh and lightly brushed her folds when she realized she was now entirely naked.

"Um, Sakura," mumbled Neji as he moved to her other breast.

"Yes, Neji," she gasped as he took in the other nipple and used his other hand to trace her pink curls.

He double checked what his fingers were feeling then said aloud, "I don't remember there being a heart down there."

Eight pairs of ears perked up when Neji's words echoed in the room. Asuma and Kurenai pulled back from the closet door and glanced at each other in confusion. Mitsu and Izumo came up for air long enough to decide they didn't give two shits, both shrugged, and went back to making out. Anko and Kotetsu scratched their heads in thought.

"Did she get a tattoo," Anko whispered to Kotetsu.

"Maybe," he whispered back.

Sakura turned bright red, "Well, I knew tonight was going to be special. So a little work with a razor and voila."

Neji raised an eyebrow then lowered his head to get a really close look.

"So that's what took her so long in the shower," whispered Ino as Shino choked on his sake, "I gotta try that next time!" Suddenly, Ino winced when she felt a cramp start up.

"Uh oh," whispered the blond as she rubbed her hand over her abdomen, "I forgot to put in some of Shizune's healing cream. I think I still have it though." Ino checked her purse and opened up the small jar. She sniffed it and found it had a pleasant green tea aroma.

Shino's beetles hummed hungrily as they picked up concentrated healing chakra mixed in the cream. He shushed them reminding that the chakra was for his mate and they simmered down to a low sniveling. He watched Ino sit her now half-empty bottle of sake on her lap and pull the dress hem up to her hips. Shino pushed his glasses up to his hair to get a better view of Ino pulling off her purple panties, revealing the source of so much pleasure only a few minutes ago.

His beetles rumbled from the surge of his hormones and from their side, told him they were quite ready for a second round too!

"Ino-chan," he whispered hungrily, "How about I help you with that. I could probably do a better job spreading it to the right places."

The blond smiled at her boyfriend, "Aw that's sweet of you, Shino. Sure that would be a great help." She handed him the jar and scooted her bottom forward to give him an easier reach. Sighing happily, Ino took another pull from her sake bottle.

Reminding his beetles not to snack on the chakra, Shino scooped up a portion with his fingers and gently pushed the cream inside Ino's folds.

Ino stopped drinking the alcohol and gasped, "Oh, oh my," she licked her lips as she felt Shino's fingers spread the cream inside her body. The tingling around the damage tissue began to grow and sent shivers to all the right places.

Feeling her become slicker than he expected, Shino looked up at his girlfriend to see her flushed and biting her lip. He pumped his fingers a little further into her and was rewarded with a breathy moan from the blond.

"Sh-Shino, do you think you could use a little more of that cream," Ino looked at him with her pleading baby blues.

Drinking the last of the open sake, she carefully cracked open the cabinet door and set the empty bottle outside.

Shino pulled his hand away and dipped his fingers into the jar again. He took a little more than before and slowly pushed his fingers back into Ino. The tingling turned into intense throbbing that sent her body shaking.

"Maybe that wasn't a good idea, Shino," whispered the young blond warily, "The others outside."

The young bug master gave her a sly grin, "I'm not interested in the others."

"But what about Neji?"

Shino grin widened, "My Dad gave him 'The Talk' and he freaked out."

Ino's blue eyes bugged out as the mental image of the two handsome boys hit home.

Shino chuckled in surprise as he saw a trail of blood trickle out, "A joke, Ino. That was a joke."

"I knew that," she quipped as she dabbed a handkerchief to her face, but now both her body and mind were fully aroused.

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him over, "Come here."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, yes," cried Sakura as his tongue sent her trembling in his arms, "I want you now, Neji-kun!"

The Hyuuga threw her onto the bed and started pulling off his clothes. Sakura sent healing chakra into her abdomen to prepare her cells to regenerate A.S.A.P. She wanted to enjoy this without much pain.

Neji shoved his pants to the floor and hovered over Sakura with his hard member at the ready. Biting her lip playfully, she sent moved her hand to his length and rubbed it with her chakra.

The dark-haired shinobi panted heavily as he savored the feel of Sakura's tingling hand on his erection. He fought hard for control as the genius pinkette stroked him lovingly. Knowing he would not be able to handle much more, he pushed her hand away and gave her a kiss.

"That's feels too good, Sakura-chan. I want to work on our firstborn now," then he slowly pushed himself inside her. Neji stopped when he felt the resistance of her virginity.

Feeling him at that point too, Sakura remembered what Mitsu had told her earlier that day, "Neji-kun, do you think you can use your Byakugan during this?"

"Uh oh," whispered Asuma and Kurenai.

Anko and Kotetsu crossed their hands back and forth, "No, no, don't do it," they whispered, hoping on some mental wavelength the boy would pick up on their situation.

Neji looked puzzled, "Alright then," said Neji as he activated his bloodline limit.

Suddenly, the room was lit up with several chakra signatures surrounding the bed.

Neji looked down at the mattress to where Anko and Kotetsu's negative waving had turned into waving hello.

His eyes were quickly drawn to the mini-bar by the bed where Ino bucked onto Shino's hips. His beetles warned Shino that Neji had activated his Byakugan and was watching. The bug master looked over Ino's shoulder, raised his sake in cheers, and continued to have sex with his mate.

Gaping, Neji turned to bathroom where Izumo had Mitsu wrapped in his arms, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

'Hiashi-sama is going flip!'

Shaking his head, he looked at the final hiding couple where Asuma and Kurenai were mouthing in an exaggerating manner.

"Don't look at us! Keep going," They pointed to Sakura and urged him to go on.

"Oh shit, we're in it deep," he mumbled as his vision focused from one hiding spot to the next.

'Not deep enough,' whined Sakura's inner self, 'Still a virgin here!'

Watching Neji's preoccupied face, the blissfully unaware Sakura moved her hand full of healing chakra over her lower self and heard the Hyuuga gasp in surprise.

"Neji-kun," she looked at him while sending more delicious chakra to his throbbing member, "I'm down here remember."

Neji groaned at the pinkette's distracting ministrations. She caressed his cheek with her other hand, making sure he looked into her emerald eyes, then wrapped her legs around his waist. Using a tiny touch of her enhanced strength, she sent his hips into her and his member ripped through her barrier.

"Oh god, Sakura," cried Neji as he felt himself fully engulfed by her wet and throbbing heat. He could feel her soothing chakra regenerating the torn tissue and he shuddered in her arms.

"Neji-kun," she cooed in his ear the raised her hips to his, "Please make love to me."

Could he do it? Could he walk away from something his raging hormones have demanded for the longest time or ignore his surroundings to fulfill his fantasies? Making love to Sakura now would take the utmost concentration and discipline. Could he do it?

Then he felt Sakura intensify the chakra in her body again and it sent him panting for air. Looking into her captivating green eyes, he gave up and focused on the entrancing girl underneath him.

"Hell yes," he growled as he pulled himself back and slammed back inside.

Sakura let out a pleasure filled cry as she held on to his strong arms.

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Up on the rooftop, Kakashi paused, deeply disturbed by Jiraiya's slacked jaw.

The legendary pervert had a wide eyed vacant stare. For the life of him, Kakashi could not think of anything that would shock the Ero-Senin to the core.

Standing beside the white haired Senin, Genma was pinching his nose shut and trying to catch his breath.

Looking down, Kakashi saw Sai scowl at the other two nin, "Amatures," then returned to his furious drawings. Something was definitely wrong.

"Oi, get your own seat! You're blocking the view," cried the pervy sage when Kakashi stepped in front of Jiraiya.

Scratching his silver hair, Kakashi looked at the Senbon shinobi, who was also staring behind the Copy Nin, "Genma, what is going on?"

Genma opened and closed his mouth in an attempt to explain the situation to his colleague. Instead, he simply pointed to the bouncing tree house among the weakening limbs.

Kakashi finally turned around and did a double take. His Treetop Haven was swaying gently among the leaves, "Whoa! What couple is in there now?"

Genma tentatively let go of his nose then threw away his thoroughly chewed up senbon, "Um... All of them."

"Uh, hang on," Kakashi cleaned out one ear with his pinky, "Okay. What was that again? I thought I heard you say all of them."

Both Jiraiya and Genma nodded their heads together and said in unison, "ALL OF THEM!"

"What the fuck?" Kakashi turned a wide dark eye at his beloved getaway and tore at his hair, "That place was designed to hold only two people, three tops!"

"Three?" Genma gave him a sidelong glance. Jiraiya's ears perked up

"Twins... Nevermind! Don't ask," Kakashi then hopped from one foot to the next, "What the hell! Why didn't you stop this?"

"How would we," Genma shrugged helplessly at his friend.

"WHY would we," shouted Jiraiya.

"Tree house," exclaimed the livid Copy Nin, pointing to the house now rocking harshly in the tree.

"Worth it!" Jiraiya pointed to Sai's current drawing.

Kakashi glanced over the kid's shoulder and nearly inhaled his mask, "S-Sa-Sakura?"

Jiraiya then flashed before Kakashi's eye several finished pictures of the other couples in their most intimate of moments.

"MY SAKE! Those two are drinking down my sake!" He grabbed the parchment of Shino holding on to a bottle while Ino kissed the young Aburame.

Then the Senin replaced the picture with one of Mitsu with Izumo, "Whoa, teeth huh?"

Jiraiya practically giggled like school girl with that one.

Putting a fresh senbon in his mouth, Genma thought of something important, "Hey, Kakashi. Aren't you supposed to be babysitting Mitsu's daughter right now?"

The Copy Nin groaned as he remembered why he searched out Jiraiya in the first place, "Shizune came by looking for help with the search parties for Hinata and Sakura. She's staying with Kana right now."

"Hinata? Why is there a search party for Hinata," Jiraiya looked away Sai's next painting.

"Apparently the boy blunder took the Hyuuga Heir on an unsanctioned date and Hiashi-sama is turning Konoha upside down to find her."

Jiraiya raised a hand to his chin in thought, "Hmmm, You don't think?"

Kakashi's eye widened in realization, "He wouldn't! Would he?"

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Shizune yawned as she sat in the Uchiha living room. She was careful to keep her feet lifted as Tonton slept on the floor, lightly snoring. Her lap was full of files Tsunade "Forgot" to bring with her during the parents' search for their children. She pulled up a large stamp and slammed it on the file. Then did it to another file. The familiar process soon became a hypnotic exercise.

'Open new file. Stamp the file. Close the file. Open new file.'

The brunette's tired eyes started to glaze over as her hands moved on automatic and her ears never picked up on Kana's shuffling feet in her bedroom.

The eight year old walked into the hallway and into the bathroom, scratching her itchy pink pajamas the whole way, "Stupid milk. Maybe we need to switch to skim."

The slamming bathroom door woke Shizune from her sleep inducing task, "What? Who?"

"Kana-chan," she called out.

Shizune stood up from the love seat and stepped over the snoring pig. The brunette walked up to Kana's bedroom and peered inside. She freaked out when she saw the little girl's empty bed.

"Kana-chan," she turned on the lights and tore the room apart, "Answer me!" Shizune was answered with a toilet flushing, followed by more running water.

The brunette ran to the bathroom in time to catch the sleepy girl in her arms, "Oh Kana-chan! You gave me such a scare!"

"Air," Kana gasped in Shizune's tight hug, "Need air."

Shizune opened up her arms and let the Uchiha girl drop to the floor, "Sorry, I'm used to holding on to Tonton."

"Shizune-san," scratching her midnight hair in confusion, the little girl looked up at the medic, "Why are you here?"

"Your sensei was needed to help with a search party. So I volunteered to take over his babysitting."

Kana scowled as her really weird dream floated to the surface of her brain, "Kakashi-sensei was here? Why would he be here?"

Shizune tapped her chin in thought, "I think Kakashi said something about your mother being taken on a date."

"A date? What do you mean a date? Mom would have told me if she was going on a date!"

The woman shrugged, "I don't know, maybe it was a surprise for her too."

Scowling, Kana's hazy memories cleared up the last bit of information she needed, "And I think I know just the baka who did it!"

Shizune's ears turned blue from all of the colorful words that spewed from the eight year old's mouth.

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Izumo sneezed hard so many times, he had to hold on the wall for support.

"Uh oh," Mitsu pressed a hand to his brow, "Are you coming down with something?"

Standing in wait for another sneeze, he paused then shrugged, "No idea. I think I'm fine now."

Sighing contentedly, Izumo held Mitsu in his arms and rested his forehead against hers.

"Mitsu," he gently whispered, "I don't care if we've been stuck in this god forsaken bathroom all night. This has been fantastic."

She laughed as her hands trailed up and down his arms, "Same here. I can't believe everything that's happened. I just hope Kana-chan never finds out."

"No kidding, you don't want to give her ideas come puberty. Uchihas are known to collect fan clubs."

Mitsu groaned forlornly, "Ugh! Puberty is going to sooo much fun! I can just see me now. Running all over Konoha, turning every tree upside down, as I try to find my Kana-chan before she looses her virginity."

Izumo snickered, "Oh there are plenty of other lovers' lanes in Konoha."

"In fact," he winked at Mitsu, "You might need someone to familiarize them with you. Think of it as a pre-emptive strike in the impending war of adolescence."

Mitsu looked up at him with an impressed expression, "Really? And where would I find such a reliable guide?"

"I think I know someone," he leaned closer to her lips.

"He must be pretty good, if he comes with such wonderful recommendations," she drifted her mouth along his, giving his bottom lip a soft nip.

"You would know, Mitsu-chan," he chuckled, "Or maybe, I should arrange a private interview." He pulled her into another kiss as his hands continued to explore the rest of her figure.

Moaning, she raised her right leg while his hand drifted up her thigh. Mitsu felt his hand slip under the hem and push the edge back up to her waist. Then his fingers brushed over her hips before sliding back and hooking under her knee. Using that hand as leverage, she moved her other leg up and hoisted herself around his waist.

Grunting, Izumo pulled the rest of her dress up her torso then worked at getting off his pants.

Mitsu nibbled on her lover's ear and gasped when he lightly teased her folds before returning to his clothing. She caressed his bare chest with one hand, widening open his shirt even more, and drifting her fingers over his stomach. He opened up his pants just enough to relieve the pressure on his hardened self.

Taking over the kiss again, Izumo unhooked Mitsu's arms and legs around him and set the pouting woman on the floor.

"Don't worry, My Love," he whispered to her while pressing a finger to her mouth, "Nothing's wrong." Then he spun her to face the shower wall and placed her hands above her head.

Unable to focus on what he was doing, Mitsu's body was not the only thing spinning, "What did you call me?"

Izumo smiled as he stepped up behind her and drove his length inside her wet folds.

"OH," she cried when he filled her up immediately.

"I called you My Love." Closing his eyes, he held on to Mitsu's waist. He began to move inside her and felt her shiver against him.

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In the bedroom, Neji was now holding on to the upper edge headboard above him, while he rapidly pressed into the pinkette, who held on to the now exposed lower edge of the headboard. Like the two lovers in it, the bed frame began to groan and creak under the stress.

Wide eyed, Kotetsu and Anko watched the mattress bouncing ever closer to their heads.

"We're gonna die from hot sex," whimpered Anko as she pressed closer to Kotetsu, "And it's not ours."

They prayed to whatever perverted deities that were watching, and from their current situation they were sure that would be all them, that the bed held up.

The mini-bar rattled and shook with the increased efforts of the two young lovers inside. Trying to muffle her voice, Ino bit down on Shino's shoulder before heavenly ecstasy shook her to the core..

"No, Ino," Shino's low voice muttered in her ear, "I don't care about the others. Scream for me." Thankfully, the loud squeaking from the bouncing bedsprings blended away Ino and Shino's cries of passion.

Asuma and Kurenai had placed their hands up and down on the walls, not quite sure what was going on.

"Is it me," whispered Kurenai, "Or is this place rocking?"

Asuma sighed as he crossed his arms, "Well, it's rocking one way or the other. What are those two kids doing?"

As Neji watched Sakura writhe in the bedsheets, he remembered his favorite daydream every time the pinkette stepped out in her sexy footwear. Smirking, he abruptly let go of the headboard and sat up.

Underneath the bed, Kotetsu and Anko were wiping their foreheads in relief. Outside the now still tree house, Kakashi nearly fainted in relief.

"Awww," whined Jiraiya as Genma gave him a pat on the back.

The pinkette pulled her hands down to her sweaty body and looked at her boyfriend with a questioning look, "Neji-kun?"

She gasped when he threw her legs over his shoulders. Thanks to the full moon, Sakura could see her tall black boots on either side of Neji's head as they flew high in the air. After re-entering her, he leaned down, using his shoulders to slowly push her legs further and further towards her. As he suspected, her limber physique let him push her knees close to her head and he could feel his length pressing deeper inside her.

"Kami-sama," shouted Sakura when Neji began to move inside her again. Whole new sensations ripped through the pinkette as the Hyuuga prodigy continued to roll himself into her body.

Eyes focused, Neji grunted through his clenched teeth. He could see she was getting close. His Byakugan was telling him everything happening to the pinkette. He just had to hang on for a bit...

"Neji!" Sakura arched and thrashed in the bed when her climax crashed into her. He kept thrusting through her tightening muscles until her screaming subsided.

Floating down from her high, she gazed up at him with half lidded eyes and flushed cheeks. Neji had to admit she never looked more enticing.

Deciding now was his chance to try something he only speculated about, he leaned even closer to her and whispered in her ear, "I'm not done with you yet..."

The pinkette caught her breath as she felt him accelerating again, "Huh?"

"Remember," he said as he stretched a hand between her legs, "Turnabout is fair play or should I say... foreplay." He sent a short chakra burst through his fingers and into Sakura's clitoris.

"AH! What was that?"

The smug white eyed bastard did it again.

"Holy shit, Neji!"

This time he did more bursts in rapid succession.

Sakura found herself sent back to that blissful tension as a third orgasm coursed through her, "Oh my god!"

Her body rocked and throbbed around his length and holding back was no longer an option for Neji. Deactivating his Byakugan, his lids closed shut and his shoulders shook from his intense peaking. He finally let go inside the exhausted pinkette and dropped on top of her with a low grunt.

Sakura sighed in satisfaction as she carefully tilted him off her with chakra enhanced strength, "That was amazing, Neji."

A tired "Hn," he was all he managed to get out.

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Inside the closet, Asuma sat on the floor, grumbling into his hands, "Kami, I need a cigarette!"

Kurenai gave her boyfriend a sympathetic rub on his back then she heard something coming from the other wall.

She leaned her ear to the barrier separating the closet from the shower stall, "Do you hear something?"

Asuma followed her example and his eyebrows shot up, "Holy Hell! Are they at it again?"

"What did you call me," came Mitsu's muffled voice from the wall.

As the closet bound couple pressed closer to the wood, sounds from the bathroom became a little clearer and more distinct.

"I called you My Love."

Kurenai just about squealed in delight, "Did you hear what he said," she whispered frantically.

"Shhh," warned Asuma in a softer whisper, "They're too close. They might be able to hear us."

Kurenai nodded and zipped her yap.

"Mitsu," Izumo murmured in her ear, "I have to tell you something." Both breathing heavily, he pushed himself into her again and they groaned together at the delicious feeling.

Mitsu laid her forehead on the cool tiles and moaned, "I'm listening, Izumo-kun."

Smirking, he realized he would never get tired of her say his name like that.

"The reason I tried to break it off before was because I wanted to keep you safe."

"I worry about you and Kana all the time. And I can't protect you like others can." He pushed her hair over her shoulder and kissed right below her neck.

"But I can't stay away from you. No matter how hard I try." Using his teeth, he unsnapped the hook holding up her halter top and cupped her uncovered bosom in his hands.

Her swirling eyes opened wide as she heard his confession, "Really?"

"I've decided that I don't want to lose you, Mitsu. No matter what!" Holding on to her upper body, he gave another hard thrust.

"Ah god, Izumo!"

She removed her hands the shower tiles and wrapped them behind his head. Izumo grit his teeth as he felt her pelvic muscles clench at him.

Squeezing harder around him, she seemed to say with every part of her body, 'I don't want you to go either.'

"And I will not let anyone take you away from me," he grunted as his hands stimulated both her nipples at the same time, "Not even that damn Hyuuga!"

Mitsu cried out louder when she felt every nerve set ablaze.

"I want to make love to you all day, every day," echoed Izumo's voice through the wall.

"Is he saying what I think he's saying," mumbled Asuma.

Izumo firmly put a hand to her lower abdomen, increasing the intense pressure for both of them, "I want to feel my child kicking in your womb."

Kurenai raised a hand to her gaping mouth, "I think he is saying what you think he's saying."

Bing! Bing! Bing! Bing! Like it mattered anymore!

"If I take my last breath, I want it in your arms."

"What are you saying, Izumo," Mitsu whispered between gasps.

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Neji and Sakura took their sweet time in getting dressed. The Hyuuga may have turned off his Byakugan, but he knew the others were still there. He smirk kept making it's way on to his face more times than Sakura thought was normal.

"I know this was our first time together, Neji," giggled Sakura, "But I have to say I've never seen you this smug before." She finished zipping up her vest then turned to the messy bed.

Neji shrugged as he helped his girlfriend take off the dirty sheets, "All I can say is that this is one memorable night!"

"Here, here," came a couple of whispers from under the bed.

"What was that," asked the pinkette.

"I said," Neji opened up the front door, "It's time to get out of here."

Sakura picked up the linen, "What about the bed? We can't leave it like this?"

Feeling more chakra nearby, Neji looked around outside to see four figures flash away, "I don't think Kakashi will mind. We'll buy him a whole new set."

She sighed, "Well alright then. If you say, so." She threw the sheets into the small corner behind the front door and put her hand in Neji's.

They stepped out into the landing and closed the door behind them. Loud sighs of relief echoed in the bedroom, followed by louder moans from the bathroom. The three couples crept out of hiding.

Kurenai waved Anko and Ino close as all the women pressed their ears to the bathroom door.

With the full moon shining high above them, Neji smiled down at his future bride, "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Sakura."

She chuckled softly as she wrapped an arm around his, "My pleasure, Neji-kun."

Suddenly they felt the genjutsu around the tree dispelled and the distinct sound of the warning bell going off. More groans filled the air as six people ran back to their hiding spots inside the little tree house.

"What the hell is that," asked Neji as he tried to look down below.

"No time," whispered Sakura, "It might be Kakashi-sensei. We can jump off the other side of the landing."

Neji let himself be pulled to the other side of the house, but he waited for the shadows climbing the trunk to reveal themselves.

"Come on, Neji. Let's go." Sakura looked around nervously.

His eyebrows shot up as Neji saw Naruto climb to the top while carrying what looked to be a blindfolded girl in his arms.

"What does that baka think he's doing," he hissed, "Out with another girl and bringing her here. Hinata-sama is going to be hysterical."

Sakura turned around and looked around the corner, "What? If he is, I'm gonna kill him."

Facing away from the spying couple, Naruto set the girl down then removed her blindfold. The girl gave a breathy gasp and turned around to hug the blond shinobi.

"Oh it's b-beautiful, Naruto-kun!"

Sakura grabbed on to Neji with her scary strength just in time, before the Hyuuga jounin sprinted for the clueless Naruto and Hinata.

"Neji-kun," she whispered as he struggled in her grasp, "Control yourself. Hinata is happy, remember."

"I'm on orders," he growled, "Hinata-sama needs to be returned home as soon as possible."

"No," she whispered forcefully as she pulled on his arm.

"Yes," he shot back while he hit a pressure point on her wrist, reducing her chakra a little bit.

While those two argued around the corner, Naruto and Hinata opened the door and walked right in. The Hyuuga heiress looked around the dark room as Naruto jumped right onto the bed.

"This has got to be the most romantic spot in all of Konoha, dattebayo! It should be since, Kakashi-sensei built it."

Hinata giggled softly as she walked up to the handsome boy on the bed, "Kakashi-sensei was very generous to let us use it for the night."

Naruto winced as he tried to remember if he actually did ask the Copy Nin for permission, "Yeah sure, we'll go with that!" He then grabbed her the hand and pulled her down next to him.

Blushing furiously, Hinata looked into his deep blue eyes and lightly traced his lips with a finger, "I can't b-believe this is happening, Naruto-kun."

"Neither can we," Kotetsu and Anko groaned softly under the bed.

In the closet, Asuma and Kurenai were pushing so close to the wall their cheeks were getting splinters.

"Is Izumo going to say it," whispered Kurenai.

"Shhhh," Asuma lifted a finger to his lips.

"What are you saying, Izumo," Mitsu whispered between gasps.

"Forget anyone else, Mitsu," he murmured deeply in her ear, "And marry me."

Mitsu's mind and body surrendered to the erotic spell he weaved and she yielded to the consuming passion growing inside her.

"Oh, god...," Izumo gasped as he supported her through her violent shuddering in his arms.

He ravished her harder and faster with her body's vice-like grip convulsing around him, sending Izumo screaming over the edge, "MARRY ME!"

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Naruto gave his girlfriend a gentle smile as he decide now was the time to ask about the gorgeous girl dancing admist the waterfall.

Gazing deeply into her pearl eyes, "Hinata-chan, I want to ask you something." He took a long breath...

"MARRY ME," came rumbling through the bathroom door and resounded through the room. Everyone in the bedroom, and especially Naruto, froze in shock.

Hinata's eyes widened as she tried to think of what to say, "N-Naruto-kun, I..."

"YES! YES! OH GOD, YES!"

Hinata clamped both of her hands over her mouth.

Naruto's eyes nearly popped out and he started to stammer, "Wh-wh-what did you say?"

"I d-didn't s-say anything." The Hyuuga Heiress shook her head fiercely.

Kurenai was hopping around in the closet against a smiling Asuma and whispered excitedly, "She said yes! She said yes!"

"I love weddings," Anko softly sniffled as she clasped an astonished Kotetsu in a hug.

Shino chuckled as he emptied the last bottle of sake, "Well, that's one way to propose." He looked up at his squealing girlfriend and shushed her with one hand.

"Oops," she whispered too harshly as her sake breath filled the mini-bar, "Kawaii! Kana-chan's going to get a Daddy!"

Hinata looked around the room apprehensively. The strange noises had stopped, but something was not right.

She did not need her Byakugan to tell her it was time to leave, "M-maybe we should j-just go."

Naruto grasped her hands desperately, "No, no don't go. Maybe someone nearby is watching their TV too loud or there's a street theater going on. Please, just don't go."

Outside on the landing:

"Let them go," hissed Sakura as Neji's hand grasped the edge of the window.

"Let me go," he snarled back at his pink girlfriend. The young jounin dragged the chuunin medic across the floor as she clung to his feet.

Back inside:

The blond shinobi jumped out of the bed and blocked the front door, "Please Hinata, give me a chance."

He summoned a clone to block the door while he swept the shy girl in his arms. Naruto drew Hinata into a long kiss, sending the poor girl's senses reeling. She gave a sharp gasp as his hand slipped up her shirt and caressed her ample bosom. The clone chuckled as he gave the two sweethearts a suggestive wink.

Screeeetch...

"Did you hear something," whispered Hinata.

"Not a thing," he continued to nibble on her delectable neck.

Neji burst through the front door and bore down on the surprised couple, "Naruto! Don't you dare touch Hinata-sama!"

An embarrassed Sakura pulled herself off the floor as she watched the lovebirds back up to one side of the house.

On instinct, Naruto lifted his hands and summoned his clones to hold down the interfering Hyuuga.

Outside, the four peeping toms had reconvened on the rooftops and were now lounging among the various doodlings. Then they all heard a loud sound come from inside the tree house.

Just as they all looked up, an inky bird flew next to Sai and landed on an empty parchment. The artistic shinobi turned his head from his current Hinata pencil drawing and picked up the newly created portrait.

"Apparently, Dickless has decided to take stupidity to a whole new level," and looked expectantly at the trembling tree limbs.

Jiraiya, Genma, and Kakashi crept up behind Sai's shoulder and saw Naruto lifting his hands in his trademark jutsu.

CREEEEEAAK! CRACK! The first main branch fractured at the junction. Everyone fearfully stared at one another as the floor fell an inch underneath them.

Then the second supporting branch twisted from the onset of the crushing weight and went... SNAP!

Each man in the house grabbed their significant other as they all felt the floor slide at a steep incline. Smoke billowed out of the window as clones disappeared and six transportation jutsu activated. The small house continued to spill out of the leaves, roll through the air, and drop thirty feet right to the ground.

SLAM! SMASH! The sound of splintering wood and crashing glass rattled through the air and pierced The Copy Nin's broken heart.

"Nooo," cried Kakashi as he reached out a shaking hand to the pile of nicely painted firewood, "No, no, no, no!"


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Naruto

Thank you for all the reviews. As fun as the last chapter was, it's time to get the plot moving. I know it was very tempting to leave Mitsu with Hiashi, but then the story would've ended too soon before I could tie all the loose ends. I love this installment because Shino and Ino steal the show, but Shino doesn't say a single word in the entire chapter.

There is a lemon. I thought I owed Naruto and Hinata some special alone time.

**Chapter 14**

As the stars twinkled in the night sky, two silent figures ran through the dark villages and empty farm fields. They barely stopped for anything and never for sleep. That would come later when they reached their hideaway house.

"Go to Konoha," a slithery voice echoed in both their minds, "Bring the child to me and I will deem whether or not she is worthy."

With treetops flying by the duo at top speed, Sasuke watched Kabuto from the corner of his eye. He hated teaming up with the sycophant, but if anyone was a true master in infiltrating Konoha's defenses. It would be Yakushi Kabuto.

Last week, Sasuke barely got out by the skin of his teeth, but the Leaf-nin had only briefly been aware of his presence. Now they would anticipate a move like this and would keep everyone on alert. Kabuto would have to pull every trick in his book.

"Don't worry," said the medic nin as his glasses flashed in the moonlight, "There are still plenty of secret tunnels into the heart of Konoha. We should avoid any interesting reunions on this trip to our old home town."

"So sure of yourself," sneered the young Uchiha, "Team Seven have a talent for getting in the way. You, of all people, should know that."

Kabuto stopped on a tree limb and adjusted his specs, "I have accounted for that. Just be sure to follow Lord Orochimaru's orders and everything will go according to plan."

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"Search Team One here, over...Did you hear that Search Team Two!"

"Sure did Team One...We're on our way!"

"What about you Team Three?" Dead air answered Namiashi Raido as he waited for the Hokage's answer

"Team Three? Hokage-sama?" Raido looked over at his team and shrugged, "It looks like the Hokage may be detained. We'll go on ahead and meet Team Two."

"Hai!" Gai, Lee, and Kiba nodded once before all four disappeared to the follow the disturbance from simultaneous transportation jutsu on the far side of Konoha.

Kiba's nose caught a whiff of Hinata's scent and it got stronger the closer he got to the smoke column rising high to the night sky. Akamaru gave an annoyed growl to his master.

"Yeah, I know," Kiba grumbled through his feral teeth, "Naruto's scent is mixed with hers, but there's nothing to do about it now. Come on!" As Search Team One ran down the streets, Kiba's nose then picked up more people heading to the same spot. ANBU were speeding across the rooftops along with a couple of worried parents.

"ANBU is on the way there, but Tsunade-sama appears to be missing still," he reported to Raido.

The Team Leader sighed, "She must've found that new sake bar. You guys go on ahead. I'll go get her." Raido jumped down another street while Gai took the lead.

BING! BING! B-B-BING! B-B-BINGGGG! A haywire bell continuously rang from a meadow behind some buildings.

Team One landed next to Team Two on an open field in full view of a huge pile of lumber and glass. Shikamaru and Chouji were walking around the broken building along with Aburame Shibi who sent a few beetles to peruse the wreckage.

"What in the world happened here," said Aoba as he looked over the mess.

Scratching his bowl-cut, Lee turned to his mentor, "What do you think, Gai-sensei?"

Gai furrowed his eyebrows in deep thought, "I believe... that someone or someones," he slammed a fist into his hand, "Have destroyed a small building and left behind the wreckage!"

"Brilliant, Gai-sensei. How do you do it?"

With an eye twitching behind his sunglasses, Aoba walked away from the green duo, "I wonder about that too."

Akamaru ran his nose around the area picking up various scents. The huge dog lifted his head once in a while to bark a comment or two to Kiba. With each progressing report from the nin-dog, Kiba's grin grew bigger and bigger. It was not long before he was rolling on the ground laughing his ass off.

"Care to let us in on the joke," Shikamaru glared at the howling Kiba as Chouji moved in closer.

"There was some major hanky panky going on tonight! Ha Ha! Our teammates got it on!"

Chouji and Shikamaru exchanged worried glances.

"Yamanaka-sama's going to be pissed," sighed the shadow wielder as he scratched the back of his head, "I'm not sticking around when Ino's Dad gets the news."

Just then the ANBU night shift appeared next to them, dumping four very guilty looking shinobi... Well, three guilty looking shinobi and one with a confusing smile.

Shibi looked up and smiled at the newly captured group, "Would've known you'd be a part of this, Jiraiya. Got anything good this time?"

Jiraiya broke into the biggest grin and gave Shibi two thumbs up, "You know it!"

Then the parents jumped down from the rooftops and landed next to the ANBU.

"Hatake," Hiashi narrowed his pearl eyes at the Copy Nin, "Weren't you supposed to be looking for my daughter and nephew?"

Kakashi chuckled nervously, "Hello, Hyuuga-sama. Funny thing, I was looking for your nephew when I came across-URGH!"

Jiraiya and Genma whistled as they looked away from the man they both kicked.

Genma leaned over to his grimacing friend and whispered, "Treading on dangerous ground, Kakashi. They don't know about the OTHERS." The brown-haired shinobi slanted his head to Hiashi and glared meaningfully about Izumo with Mitsu.

Kakashi winced, "Good point...haven't laid eyes on him, Hyuuga-sama."

All the parents stared angrily at the four nervous shinobi. There was something those guys were hiding and if Jiraiya was a part of it then their worst nightmares might have come true. Haruno Sakiko's fists were shaking and she was sorely tempted to take out her frustration on her daughter's so-called "Kaka-Sensei".

Inoichi looked around and saw Ino's teammates wandering around the broken pile of wood, "Oi! Shikamaru! Chouji! Have you picked up Ino's trail?"

Both boys shrugged their shoulders and made barely audible grunts.

Kiba snickered as he climbed on Akamaru's back, "I'm going to search the area. Maybe I'll pick up something interesting," he gave a lusty laugh and Akamaru took off past the tree line.

Inoichi watched at the young shinobi disappear among the trees and crossed his arms, "I'm so glad my daughter wasn't put on that boy's team."

Hiashi's head snapped around and gave Inoichi the nastiest glare. The Hyuuga Clan leader was tempted to clock the Yamanaka Clan leader, but then the Hokage appeared with Raido at her heels.

"I was not drinking," shouted Tsunade as she stomped up to the rest of the search parties, "I was checking to see if they were hiding in the back of the bar. It would be an insult to ask for information and not make order."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," sighed Raido.

B-B-BING! B-B-BING! B-BONG! BOOONG!

"Um Kakashi," Genma pointed to the smashed tree house, "You might need to replace your alarm. I think it's broken." Kakashi growled at the senbon shinobi.

Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, "Would someone shut that thing up!"

Sighing, Kakashi raised his hands and deactivated the jutsu.

"Thank you," Tsunade put her hand down and stared at the assembled ninja, "Three pervs and an old coot. This can't be good."

She walked up to her former teammate and put one hand on her hip, "Jiraiya, what are you doing here?"

The Pervy Sage smiled and elbowed Tsunade in the ribs, "Let's just say that I was checking up on our 'Old Bet'." He wiggled his eyebrows as Tsunade gasped.

Her brown eyes searched out Hiashi who was still too busy glaring at Inoichi to pay attention to Jiraiya.

"Ahem," she coughed and quickly spat out, "It looks like we found the vandals and noise polluters... So nothing more to see here!" She clapped her hands and tried to rush the parents off.

"I'm sure we'll find the children soon enough. Just not here. Shoo shoo!"

Just about everyone's jaws dropped at the Hokage's strange behavior. The ANBU glanced at one another wondering if "Shoo" was an official order or not. Then they looked towards the tree line where Kiba had disappeared and saw familiar shinobi stomping up to them.

"HATAKE!" Anko raised an angry fist in the air.

Kotetsu followed his furious girlfriend with Asuma and Kurenai not far behind. Asuma finally got his cigarette, but he was far from feeling any better.

Anko walked up to the Copy Nin and grabbed his collar, "I have a bone to pick with you!"

Kakashi pointed to Kotetsu, "Shouldn't you be talking to him about that?"

The blue-haired nin growled, "Just because I have some restraint, it doesn't mean I'm not gonna kick your ass too."

"You're going to have to get in line," Asuma repeatedly slammed his fist into his hand while Kurenai cracked her knuckles.

Smiling under his mask, Kakashi raised his hands up and he backed away from the four angry shinobi.

"Do you have any idea what we had to go through tonight," Anko pulled down his ear and screamed in it, "I'll never be able to enjoy a good screw without checking under the bed first!"

In an attempt to redirect the hostility, Kakashi motioned towards Sai, "Thanks to my teammate there, I have a pretty good idea what happened tonight."

Four heads turned to the smiling Sai as he innocently opened up his pack, "If you wish to see some of my handiwork, I have some right here." He handed each of them a picture of themselves "In Flagrante Delicto".

Some of the surrounding ANBU managed to look over the shoulders of the stunned lovers.

"Oh my god," said Kurenai as she saw her naked self leaning against the closet door with Asuma feeling her up.

"Good to have some audio with that picture," said Jiraiya as he pulled out his notebook, "Thank you, Yuuhi-san."

"Nice ass," complimented a deep voiced ANBU from behind Kurenai.

Asuma and Kotetsu stared at the graphic pictures of themselves boffing the daylights out of their hot and naked girlfriends.

After glancing around, Kotetsu protested loudly, "That is disgusting," then quickly doubled over the paper and tucked it into his vest.

"Yup," mumbled Asuma as he carefully folded his and pushed it into a back pocket.

Anko held her picture up and out to get a better view, "Not bad... not bad. I've seen better, but this should definitely go into my photo album."

Sai looked around, "I have more for the others. Where are mmphph?"

Jiraiya had slapped his hand over the artist's mouth and was waving a hand.

"That's it there were no other couples," The Senin gave the boy a pointed look, "Right, Sai?"

The young shinobi shrugged and waited for Jiraiya to remove his hand. The two couples finally took a good look around to see the Hokage, Inoichi, Sakiko, Shibi, and most of all, Hyuuga Hiashi standing right there... watching.

"Wow," said Anko with an overly cheery tone, "Look at the time! We should all be going home. Right now! All of you... home!" She waved her arms at the irritated parents and hoped they were tired enough to listen.

The Hokage caught Anko's eye and shook her head. No one was going to fall for it.

"We are not going anywhere until we find our children," Sakiko crossed her arms and stared down the snake kunoichi.

Anko looked the pink-haired woman up and down, 'Damn, I hope Sakura got away when she had the chance. I don't want to be the one to explain to her what happened.'

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When Sakura opened her eyes, she found herself wrapped safely in Neji's arms and in some random spot in the forest behind Konoha. She looked up at her boyfriend who was busy scanning the area with his Byakugan. Deactivating his bloodline limit, he turned to her with an annoyed look in his eyes.

"Naruto got away," he frowned deeply at the pinkette in his arms, "Happy?"

Sakura gave him a haughty smirk, "Yup! Besides they didn't get any where past first base. Happy?"

Neji let go of her and sighed, "Close enough. We better head back home. You're mother must really upset by now."

'More like chomping at the bit,' piped up her inner self, 'But DAMN a roll in the hay with Neji was worth it!'

"Mom can wait a little longer. Another hour won't hurt her," Sakura sauntered up to her boyfriend and laid butterfly kisses along his exposed neck.

The young Hyuuga groaned as the girl worked wonders to all of his senses, "If you keep that up, it'll be longer than an hour."

Sakura giggled as her fingers traveled up and down his traditional Hyuuga robes, "My aren't we virile tonight."

Neji raised an eyebrow then pushed the pinkette to the ground, "You have no idea." He hovered over Sakura with a smirk before diving for a kiss.

Just then a quick brush of wind set their ninja senses on alert, making both shinobi pause and narrow their eyes to the left.

Sakura infused chakra into her fists as Neji activated his eyes.

Groaning, Neji pulled off of his girlfriend and turned his Byakugan off, "It's only dog boy."

Akamaru came tromping through the bushes with Kiba not far behind, "If you two are going to teach the birds and bees some new tricks, do it some other time. I've got people back at the clearing waiting to see you."

The other two shinobi winced as they realized what the Inuzuka was telling them.

Sakura bit on a nail, "My mom wouldn't be there, would she?"

Kiba smirked, "And Ino's Dad along with Hyuuga-sama." He watched Neji from the corner of his eye. It was satisfying to see the stoic Neji show some rare apprehension.

The chuunin pointed towards the meadow, "I'm sure the both of you can make you're own way there. I still have to find Ino and Shino." He took a quick sniff in the air and chuckled as he waved for Akamaru.

"And I believe they're further that way. The hormones are flying high tonight." Kiba gave Sakura a lusty wink then ran off before a jealous Neji could lift a palm.

The young jounin sighed, "Hiashi-sama must be furious. He sent me to find Hinata hours ago."

Sakura rubbed a hand on Neji's arm, "Um, if it helps you can tell your uncle it was all my fault."

He grasped her hand and gave her palm a kiss, "I will do no such thing. The only one Hyuuga-sama will punish is me."

The pinkette sighed sadly as she tried to think of a way to help her boyfriend. She looked around the dark forest and tried to think like her hot-headed teammate. Chances are Naruto dragged Hinata further into the trees to avoid patrols and the city lights.

"Perhaps we can do it together," she thought aloud, "If I help you find Hinata, will you leave out that she was with Naruto in Kaka-sensei's Tree house?"

Neji shoulders shook as he chuckled, "I couldn't tell Hiashi-sama if I tried. How would I explain why I happened to be there in the first place?"

"Good point, but if we find them, would you give Naruto some slack," she sidled up to him and lightly traced his ear with her tongue, "Hmmm?"

The young Hyuuga licked his lips as the pink minx tickled his ear and her soft moan implored on behalf of the dobe.

"Alright then," he pulled her closer and brushed his mouth over hers, "But it's gonna cost you."

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Akamaru's barking could be heard by the crowd across the meadow. They all turned to see a smirking Kiba and Shino walking beside the enormous dog with Ino riding on Akamaru's back. Shino was in his rare public moments with him carrying his coat and wearing his sunglasses above his eyes. A very happy Ino was ogling her boyfriend while trying to balance herself on Akamaru.

"Hiiii Daddy," Ino let go of Akamaru's collar and eagerly waved a hand, "Oops!" The blond girl would have fallen off if Shino had not been there to push her back. When the three of them arrived to the clearing, Ino clumsily slid off the dog and struggled to steady herself on the ground.

Shino held out his arms to give her some balance and lead her towards her father. Inoichi gaped at his sloshed little girl who was hanging off the Aburame boy like white on rice.

"Hey! Hey Daddy! Guess what," Ino giggled as she flopped into his arms and her rancid breath floated to his face, "This Yamanaka flower... has been DE-flowered! Get it! Get it!" She poked his chest with a finger and was disappointed when there was no responsive laughter.

"Gee, tough room," Then she turned to Sakura's mother, who quickly backed up for some fresh air, "Sakiko-san! Sakura made me promise to take care of your pretty dress, but I think I got some sake on it and maybe some tree sap."

Ino looked down at the inside of the skirt, "At least, I think that's tree sap.. Other than that, nuthin' some dry cleaning won't cure."

"Oh, I can't watch," groaned Kurenai as she turned her head into Asuma's shoulder.

Sakiko's mouth dropped as she recognized Ino's dress, "My dress! That dress cost me a fortune!"

"That dress cost me my daughter's virtue," Inoichi growled back as his little girl wobbled on her feet, "Hokage-sama, aren't you going to punish the boy?"

Tsunade backed up and waved her hands, "That's more in the parental department."

Getting frustrated, the Yamanaka Clan leader re-adjusted his arms to keep Ino standing, "Shibi, he's your son! Do something!"

Shibi frowned and walked up to his son, "Shino... what do you have to say for yourself?"

Quirking an eyebrow, Shino smugly placed his shades over his eyes then raised a fist to his Dad.

Grinning, Shibi proudly bumped fists with his son, "Like mother, like daughter!"

Dropping Ino on the ground, Inoichi took off to attack both Aburames. Tsunade, gifted with foresight, was standing right next to the infuriated man. Flickering in front of him, she grabbed his shoulder with a tight grip and pulled a kicking and screaming Inoichi back to the others.

"The Yamanaka Clan has been dishonored! I demand retribution!"

Tsunade squeezed her hand on his shoulder, bringing the much taller man to his knees beside his daughter, "We will discuss retribution tomorrow. In the meantime, you will take Ino home and let her sleep it off. The hangover in the morning will be a good start for her punishment."

The woozy Ino turned to her grimacing father and gave him a hug, "Oh, Daddy-waddy, can you do something for me?"

Inoichi grumbled as he helped his baby girl stand up, "What?!

"Can you draw up a marriage proposal for Shino-kun," she dreamily batted her eyelashes at the young Aburame and gave him a little wave, "He's really hot in bed!"

Then she paused to think, "Oh yeah, and in the mini bar," her father stared in absolute horror, "AND up in a big tree where Kiba-kun found us." Ino giggled uncontrollably as she wound her arms around Inoichi's neck.

All eyes swiveled to Kiba as he gave an evil chuckle with a feral grin stretching from ear to ear.

Shibi bumped fists with Shino again.

Tsunade slapped her forehead, "I thought Shizune talked to these girls about family planning!"

Inoichi's face turned beet red as he turned to his darling, but truly plowed daughter, "You're mother is going to FLIP HER LID!"

As the girl's father continued to rant and rave at an oblivious Ino, Shibi decided to have a heart to heart with his son. After tapping the boy's shoulder, the older Aburame slanted his head towards the blond girl and lifted one hand to his lips, gesturing with an imaginary bottle.

Shino gave a small drunken smile of his own and nodded. Even with the destruction beetles neutralizing most of the alcohol, the young man felt rather buzzed.

Shibi clucked his tongue in admonishment then dug into his coat to brandish a condom packet at his son. If they used protection, perhaps they could calm Inoichi down.

The young man thought back to all of his intimate moments with Ino then shook his head.

Oh well.

Shibi pointed to Ino, 'Is she?' Then he patted his stomach meaningfully.

Shino lowered his head to consult with his beetles. It would still be a week before a fetus could be detected, but they're acute senses could definitely pick up if his mate was ovulating. The young man looked back up and gave a goofy grin with an 'Oopsy' shrug.

The Aburame Clan leader sighed deeply, raised his left hand, and pointed repeatedly to his wedding band.

Shino looked over at the beautiful blond flirting with him from afar and he nodded with a smirk. The wedding ceremony would just be a formality. As far as he was concerned, they were already mated for life.

Hiashi watched the strange spectacle before him and thought to his own missing daughter. His calm face hid the seething anger and worry for Hinata. She was undoubtedly with that Uzumaki boy. Hiashi winced at the idea of Hinata marrying the Kyuubi vessel.

'What would their children be like?' He felt a shiver ran up his spine as he tried to imagine the 'Kits' that would emerge from the pairing.

"Neji better have found her in time!"

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The summer moonlight filtered through the trees and landed on two young lovers running deep into the woods. Naruto would occasionally stop to let Hinata catch her breath and use her Byakugan. Soon it got to a point where Hinata could no longer detect any life signs and they both sat on the ground to rest.

"Man," grumbled Naruto as he pulled up some grass in his fist, "I was hoping to be hot and sweaty tonight, Hinata-chan, but not like this. Your cousin is way overprotective!"

Hinata sat up on her knees and raised a hand to his cheek, "I'm s-sorry, Naruto-kun. To tell you the t-truth, I think Neji is the only one in the Clan who actually accepts you."

Naruto nuzzled his head into her palm then huffed, "Yeah well, he definitely owes me that's for sure. Otherwise he wouldn't be getting engaged to Sakura-chan." The boy paused when a thought, that had been jumping up and down inside his brain for the past half hour, finally got the neurons going.

"Why was Neji and Sakura-chan at Kakashi-sensei's Tree house anyways?"

Hinata covered her knowing smile with one hand, "What do y-you think they were there for?"

Naruto's bright blue eyes widened as he realized what Neji's own intentions were for the night, "Why that self-righteous son of a bitch!"

The Hyuuga heiress sighed as she leaned into Naruto's body, "Naruto-kun, is it so hard to b-believe that Sakura may have p-planned everything without Neji's knowledge?"

The blond shinobi rubbed his chin in thought, "Hmmm, come to think of it... Sakura-chan would know the Tree house location, not Neji. I guess you're right," he gave Hinata a big grin.

"But now that's there's no Tree house," he leaned his face closer to kiss his blushing girlfriend, "We'll just have to improvise." He gave her lips a chaste kiss that turned deeper with every move.

His deep blue eyes softened as he crawled over Hinata's figure. Licking his lips, Naruto's hand fingered the edge of her summer yukata. Then he gently spread it open revealing smooth skin and soft curves. Her simple lingerie of white silk blended with her skin and he could feel himself become hard just from the anticipation of what lay beneath. He unhitched the front clasp of the bra and opened up the fabric. There was no doubt in his mind now who that mysterious girl was by the waterfall. He kicked himself for not realizing it sooner.

The delicate heiress shivered as she found herself caught underneath a growling Naruto. She could feel his body heat warm her porcelain skin against the cool night air. She was so close to full filing her fantasy there was just a few things wrong. Her hands hesitantly tugged at his orange and black jumpsuit.

Smirking, the boy unzipped his jacket and slowly peeled it off in an enticing manner. Hinata felt her mouth go dry to see her dream-boy seductively strip for her eyes only. Propping herself on one arm, she watched her boyfriend remove one article of clothing at time.

By the time, Naruto had finished taking off his boxers, Hinata's soft breathing had become heavy and she could feel her underwear completely soaked. Her body quivered from the merest touch of his fingers on her thighs and all she desperately wanted was for her Naruto-kun to take her... Take her NOW!

Finally, Naruto pulled down her panties and flung them behind him, "Hinata-chan, I promise to be gentle."

'Urgh!' Frustrated with his slow pace, Hinata's pearl eyes darkened and she stopped holding herself back.

"Naruto-kun, I'm not asking you to b-be gentle. I'm asking y-you to make love to me!"

His blue eyes lit up at his girlfriend's command and complied enthusiastically. Moaning, she succumbed to his domineering kiss while guiding his hands to rub along her chest.

Deciding now would be perfect to try that technique she read in the Hyuuga library, Hinata reached down to grasp Naruto's erection with the soft tendrils of her gentle fist technique.

Naruto gasped in her mouth and lost all focus of everything around him, "H-H-Hinata, what are you doing?"

"Shh," she kissed his neck, "Just enjoy it."

Oh, he was! He was!

"Kami, Hinata," he pulled himself out of her hand placed his length at her maidenhead, "I want you now!" He immediately plunged inside Hinata, causing her to scream from the pain.

Wide eyed, he stopped what he was doing, "Oh god, Hinata. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just forgot..."

Hinata took deep breaths while she waited for the pain to subside. Eventually, it disappeared and she looked up at her flustered boyfriend. She placed two hands on either side of his whiskered cheeks and gave him a sweet kiss.

"It's okay. Keep going."

Relieved, Naruto gave an experimental thrust and heard Hinata gasp. He continued to pull and push inside the beautiful pale goddess underneath him. This was feeling good... damn good! He could feel himself getting close, but he did his best to hold on for Hinata's sake.

"Naruto-kun, faster," Hinata's breathy voice filled his ears and he obeyed wholeheartedly.

Reaching her limit, Hinata cried aloud when she felt her inner walls contract and convulse with sweet bliss. Naruto's eyes squeezed shut as his own body climaxed inside Hinata.

"God, Hinata! Dattebayo!"

Neji and Sakura's heads shot up from their own lovemaking as they heard Naruto's distinct voice echo through the forest.

"Uh oh," whispered the pinkette. She bit her lip as she warily looked up at her boyfriend.

Neji dropped his head in defeat, "Damn, distracted again!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Darkness opened up to moonlight shining onto Izumo and Mitsu's forms lying on the ground. They blinked as their eyes adjusted to the new surroundings.

Izumo looked down at his fiancé in his arms and smoothed her burgundy hair, "Are you doing okay?"

She gave him nod with a bright smile, "I'm fine. Izumo, did you mean it? Did you mean everything?"

He pushed himself up and helped her off the ground, "Absolutely. Did you?"

"Yes," she hugged him tightly, "Kami! It was so easy to say 'Yes'. I can't believe how effortless it was in comparison with Hiashi's proposal."

Izumo grinned as he led Mitsu through the trees, "Not that I'm knocking it, but why wouldn't it be easy."

She lifted a finger to her lips as she tried to explain, "Well, Hiashi's marriage offer was more formal, proper, romantic even..."

The chuunin grimaced jealously as Mitsu continued to babble. He had to admit, his proposal was not exactly something to brag to your grandchildren. He could just imagine a gaggle of little granddaughters begging for the romantic story of Obaa-chan's marriage proposal.

"Yeah, I was in the middle of fucking your granny's brains out when I asked her to marry me. In addition, there were several witnesses right with us in a tree house that fell out of the tree." That would be enough to induce nightmares for years.

He decided that he would properly propose to the burgundy beauty, complete with a candlelit dinner and an engagement ring. Now all he had to do was scrounge up enough money for a diamond solitaire. Maybe Kotetsu could spot him some money. He lifted a low tree limb out of Mitsu's way.

She gave him a warm smile, "Thank you... But as logical as it seemed to marry Hiashi-sama, I didn't want to say 'Yes'. The bad part is that I couldn't get the word 'No' out of my mouth. Maybe I was in shock or maybe because he reminded me so much of my late husband, Keitaro, but my mouth refused to spit out the right words. It was weird, believe me."

Izumo stopped in his tracks and turned to her, "Hang on! You wanted to say 'No', but you couldn't?"

She shrugged helplessly, "Like I said it was really weird."

He carefully studied Mitsu as her ruby eyes looked innocently in to his. Not a trace of deceit was in them.

"Damn. You really don't know why."

She sighed, "Nothing like this has ever happened to me before and I have to admit it's freaking me out."

They walked through the last of the bushes and were about to stroll beyond the trees when they heard a voice shouting in the distance.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE, YOUR SON KNOCKED UP MY DAUGHTER!"

Izumo immediately pulled Mitsu back into the shadows. They peaked around the tree trunk to see several people crowded around the remains of Kakashi's Tree house A man who looked a lot like Ino was hopping mad and shaking a threatening fist at a calm Aburame Shibi. Tsunade was holding down the furious man with one dainty hand, while everyone watched the entertaining sight.

Surrounded by ANBU, Anko, Kotetsu, Asuma and Kurenai were standing next to Genma, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and Sai. Izumo wondered just how long those guys had been there and if shit was rolling down hill.

Taking a look at who else was there, Mitsu gasped and dashed behind Izumo, "Hiashi's here." She pointed a finger, showing him where the Hyuuga Clan leader was frowning at Ino's father.

"Let's go," Izumo backed up into the bushes bringing Mitsu with him, "We're going to have to take the long way around. It's a good thing, Hiashi and those ANBU were too busy watching Yamanaka-sama. If it weren't for him, we would have been spotted within ten seconds."

The both of them pushed chakra into the feet and headed for the far side of the training grounds, hoping that no one noticed their escape.

Tsunade looked up from Inoichi and caught Jiraiya's eye. The other Senin gave her nod, but continued to write in his notebook. He also saw Izumo and Mitsu hiding in the clearing and was not going to give their location away. They both sensed the couple giving the crowd a good berth before heading back towards Mitsu's home. Things were finally getting interesting with those two and the last thing the Senins wanted was a dead chuunin on their hands.

Sakiko could feel her blood pressure rising with every shriek from Inoichi's mouth, "LOOK! You found your daughter. She's in good health and just because she had sex, doesn't mean she's going to get pregnant! Now will you let the rest of us find our kids? Please?"

Inoichi grumbled as he was chewed out by a slip of a woman, but he finally shut his trap and carried his daughter off towards home, "Shibi! We will talk about this in more detail tomorrow morning."

Shibi gave the Yamanaka clan leader a respectful nod and watched the two walk away.

Then the older Aburame whistled a happy tune that only he knew, 'Grandkids! Grandkids! Gonna get some grandkids!' He then thumbed to Shino that it was time to go home. His son yawned and willingly followed his whistling father.

"One daughter down," sighed Hiashi, "Two to go. Perhaps we might have more luck towards the training grounds."

"NO!" Both Senin winced when everybody jumped at their commanding voices.

Tsunade cleared her throat, "Um, I mean, now that we know which direction Ino and Shino came from, we might have better luck searching around here. We'll just look deeper in the woods." She turned to the ANBU and signaled for them to go. They took off in a flash, leaving the others to search on their own.

Meanwhile, Izumo led Mitsu over the rooftops of Konoha and they soon landed on her front step.

"You know it's pretty late," she blushed as she shyly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "Why don't you just stay here for the night?"

'You read my mind,' he leaned low to softly kiss her lips, "I'd like that. It'll also give me a chance to talk with Kana in the morning. The sooner I straighten things out with her the better."

Mitsu and Izumo continued to kiss as she unlocked the front door and pushed it open. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she walked backwards into the hallway while Izumo kicked the door behind him.

"AHEM!"

The both of them stopped in mid-kiss. Izumo turned to see a fuming Kana standing in the middle of the living room, arms crossed and foot tapping. Recognizing her daughter's voice, Mitsu hurriedly rubbed her eyes to chase away the swirls.

Shizune stood up from the couch and gave a quick bow, "I'm glad to see you're safely home, Mitsu-san. I hope you don't mind, but I took over Kakashi's babysitting about an hour ago. He was needed to help with a mission. I guess Tonton and I will take off now." The brunette quickly scooped up her paper work and the pig.

She whispered to Izumo, "Be careful! She's pissed," then ran out the door.

The chuunin cleared his throat and gave the little girl a quick wave, "Hi Kana-chan. You're up late."

"Don't Kana-chan, me!" The eight year old girl had her Sharingan activated and looked like a bomb about ready to explode.

She pointed a shaking finger at Izumo, "You, Izumo-teme are at the top of my Shit List!" Kana reached down to the coffee table where Shizune had left milk and cookies for her.

Picking up a cookie, she let the sweet treat fly at the chuunin's head, "I personally chose you for my mother..." Izumo tilted his head to the side and caught the cookie between his teeth.

"Not bad," he mumbled to Mitsu as he handed her the cookie.

"And I steered her towards you whenever she wasn't looking," Kana threw two more cookies this time at both his head and legs, which he dodged and Mitsu picked out of the air.

"I even gave you the perfect 'Alone Time' with her and what do you do?" The midnight haired girl swept up the rest of the cookies and whatever she could get her hands on. Then she threw them as hard and as fast as possible.

"You dump her the first sign of trouble! And now when she has a chance with Hiashi-sama, you sneak off with her under my nose!"

Mitsu and Izumo caught as many cookies from the barrage as they could, hoping to avoid a mess. Izumo ducked before a plastic cup hit his head, but then Kana actually threw the glass plate, aiming for Izumo's torso.

"SHIT!" Mitsu dropped her cookies and caught the plate as Izumo dodged it.

"KANA, STOP THIS INSTANT," shouted Mitsu as she placed the plate safely on a side table,"YOU ARE SO GROUNDED!" But the little girl was too far gone in her temper tantrum.

The eight year old ran for the chuunin, blurred from sight for a second, and tried to attack him from the side. He caught her punch to the face and blocked a kick to the kidneys. She tried again with a side swipe to the head, but he easily turned out of her reach and sent her reeling off balance, knocking over a planter.

She rolled across the floor and kicked up at Izumo's crotch.

He blocked it with nasty glare at the little girl and pushed her foot away, "Now I KNOW that Iruka does not teach that at the Academy. Where did you learn to fight dirty?"

"Mom," Kana sneered, flipped up and kicked at his head only to have a hand in the way again, "Where else?"

Mitsu winced in embarrassment and gave an apologetic shrug, "So I taught her a few things before we came to Konoha. I didn't think it was taboo."

Tired from a thoroughly exhausting day, Izumo decided enough was enough. Kana was not going to sit still and listen to reason. So he was going to make her.

"Water Release: Syrup Capture Field!"

Kana's feet was easily caught by Izumo's trap and she struggled violently to get herself moving again.

Her hands flew into familiar hand signs, "Fire Style: Fire- ugh!" Kana's jutsu died before she had a chance to build up enough chakra. Mitsu pulled her hands back from her genjutsu then released her daughter from the three-second illusion.

It barely caught Kana's body in time, but it was enough to keep the little girl from burning down the house.

Kana woke up from the genjutsu screaming and shouting at both the adults in front of her. They kept trying to explain everything to her, but the eight year old refused to let either of them get a word in edgewise.

"And I had everything planned out perfectly, then you had to go and ruin it all! I hate you, you bastard!"

Even though he knew she said it out of spite, Izumo's face blanched at the little girl's harsh words.

Mitsu leaned on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Parents get that a lot. Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

Normal or not, this was too much. Narrowing his eyes, he walked across the sticky puddle and picked up the tantruming girl. Screaming all the way to the couch, Kana felt herself carried by Izumo then thrown across his knee. Her eyes went wide when she realized what he was going to do.

"Don't you dare! Ow! Ow! OW!" He landed a few more whacks before she began to sob instead of scream. Tears falling down her cheeks, she felt more humiliated and ashamed than physically hurt. Okay, her bottom did sting, but she could sit down if she wanted.

Izumo lifted her back up and looked straight in her dark eyes, "You will calm down and then you will listen to what your mother and I have to say. Understood?"

Bottom lip quivering, Kana nodded as she sniffled.

"Now that you've settled down," sighed Izumo as he held her shoulders in comfort, "Allow me to truly apologize for what happened. It was a mistake to do that to you and your mother and I'm trying to make up for it now. You have every right to be angry, Kana-chan and I am very, very sorry for hurting you."

Thunderstruck by the man's admission, Kana stared at the Chuunin. Then she woke from her stupor when her mom sat down next to him.

"Kana," Mitsu took both of her daughter's hands in hers, "You have to understand that life is not perfect and love will never go according to plan. It took some trial and error, but Izumo and I have realized that we are serious about each other."

The eight year old looked back and forth between them, "Really? Are you sure, this isn't some fling?"

Blushing, Izumo coughed at Kana's bluntness, "No, it isn't a fling. In fact, I have asked your mother to marry me."

The girl's eyebrows shot up and she turned to her mom, "And were you able to give him an answer?"

Mitsu nodded happily, "I said 'Yes', Kana-chan." She grinned as her daughter smiled back.

"You actually could say 'Yes'? There was no hesitation? No freaking out?"

This time it was Mitsu who turned bright red at the memory of her 'Reaction', "No... No freaking out like last time."

Izumo inwardly sighed in relief. He was thankful Mitsu left out tonight's details.

"Oh my god! That's great," Kana hugged her mother then jumped at Izumo to give him a great big bear hug, "Gomen, Izumo-kun. You're gonna be the best Dad ever!"

Izumo chuckled as he hugged her back, "Gee, I went from Izumo-teme to Best Dad ever in less than twenty minutes. How did that happen?"

Mitsu leaned back on the couch and smiled at him, "That's daughters for ya'."

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Neji and Sakura rushed to where they heard Naruto's shout. Neji had his Byakugan activated and soon found Hinata and Naruto wrapped around each other in happy, but naked embrace.

"This time," growled the young Hyuuga as he closed in on their position, "I'm going to kick his ass!"

Sakura winced at her boyfriend's flaring temper, but she knew better to plead for Naruto this time. All she could do now was hope Naruto's talent for survival kicked in while she helped Hinata calm down.

Naruto and Hinata were halfway dressed by the time Neji landed in a tree overhead.

"Uzumaki! I told you not to touch Hinata-sama," the jounin jumped down on the surprised blond shinobi, "You're going to regret this entire night!"

Letting Neji land the first hit, Naruto raised his arms and blocked the subsequent punches to his body.

"Neji-niisan," shouted Hinata, "S-stop this!" The heiress finished throwing the rest of her clothes on and tried to intervene. She was surprised to feel a pair of hands pull her out of harms way.

Sakura dragged Hinata to the side, "Better let them go at it, Hinata. Chances are Naruto will survive, but we should stay out of the way."

Naruto and his clones surrounded Neji as they tried to break through his Keiten, "You, Neji have got to be the most crooked two-faced bastard in the world...well there's Sasuke... But you rank number two!"

"I may have looked the other way in the past," growled Neji as he kicked clone in the head, "But that was when you kept Hinata-sama's integrity pure. Now she will be viewed as useless by the rest of the Hyuuga Clan!"

"What are you talking about? She's the heir. Hinata can never be useless!" Naruto rushed Neji again with leg tackle, letting his clones do all the distracting.

The Hyuuga sneered and punched the real Naruto, "She can be if Hiashi-sama sires a male heir. Hinata would be automatically deposed, but now she won't even be useful for a suitable marriage," The punch sent the loudmouth flying into a clearing leading to a cliff-face.

Naruto quickly pulled himself up and shook a fist, "What the hell kind of thinking is that?"

Back among the trees, the pinkette turned to her friend, "How are you feeling? A little sore?"

The quiet girl blushed from Sakura's implied meaning and gave a small nod.

Sakura infused her hands with healing chakra.

"Some pain is to be expected," she carefully hovered her hand above Hinata's abdomen to quickly heal the damaged tissue and numb any residual pain.

The medic nin smiled, "There all done!"

"A-arigato, Sakura-san," the Hyuuga heiress activated her eyes, "It looks like the b-boys have reached the cliff side. How long do you think it'll t-take before they tire themselves out."

The pinkette rested her chin on one hand to think, "Well, if the Chuunin Exam three years ago is any indication, I'd guess it'll be another twenty minutes... thirty tops!"

Soaring high through the night sky, a huge clay bird flew overhead with two voices shouting at one another.

"I said to stop it, Tobi! Yeah!"

"I said to stop it, Tobi! Yeah!"

"Do you want me to rip your head off?"

"Do you want me to rip your head off?"

"Arrrrgh!"

"Arrug-ug-ug," the second voice became raspy and harsh, "Deidara-senpai, Tobi can't breathe!"

The blond Akatsuki member sneered at his partner, "That's the point, yeah. Now I will let you go and you will stop playing that annoying game. Alright, baka?"

"Alright Senpai," Tobi gasped. The hyperactive and newest recruit to the Akatsuki organization took deep breath once Deidara let go of Tobi's windpipe.

"Tobi is bored already. Tobi will find another game..."

Deidara sunk into his cloak and tried to ignore the bouncing orange mask behind him.

"Oh oh, I know! We'll play 'I spy', how about that Senpai?"

"Whatever, yeah," Deidara shrugged as he looked over the horizon. It won't be long before they arrive near Konoha and Deidara could stuff the guy into a clay cage until he was needed.

"Okay, Tobi will go first... Tobi spies with his little eye... Something orange."

Deidara grimaced as he turned around, "If you're talking about your mask, I don't think it counts since it's right over your little eye."

"Nope," Tobi bounced happily, "Senpai is wrong. Deidara-senpai will have to guess again! Tobi spies with his little eye something orange and fast!"

"Orange and fast, yeah?"

Tobi watched Deidara's face contort into confusion, "Need more Senpai? Okay! Tobi spies with his little eye something, orange, fast, and multiplies faster than rabbits!"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Tobi? Some sort of mutagenic Easter Bunny?"

Tobi clapped his hands eagerly, "Do you give up Deidara-senpai?"

"Yes, Yes, I give up! Yeah!" The blond man buried his hands in his hair and screamed to the heavens, "What is it?"

"The Kyuubi Jinchuriki! Never would've guess that huh, Senpai!"

BLINK! BLINK!

"Aw, fuck it all to hell!" Deidara redirected the bird to turn back.


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own Naruto.

Lemon alert, but you all had to that know it was coming.

**Chapter 15**

Diedara's clay bird circled high over the cliff where the Kyuubi was battling another leaf shinobi down below. The two Akatsuki quietly observed the fight while Deidara's analytical mind thought up a plan. The spot was outside the city walls, but still not too far from Konoha. Reinforcement were sure to arrive if he used his big bombs. The missing-Iwa nin opened up his scope to check the area for any hidden shinobi that might come to the Kyuubi's aid.

The camera clicked as he honed in on two kunoichi sitting in a clearing nearby, "Tch! It's the pink-haired bitch who took out Sasori-danna and one of those Byakugan users, yeah. They'll join the Kyuubi in a heartbeat. Tobi!"

The orange mask behind him excitedly jumped to Deidara's side, "Yes, Senpai? Are we gonna go for it?"

The blond shinobi rolled his eyes and sighed, "Yeah, Tobi. We're going to capture the Kyuubi, but I need you to distract those kunoichi in the trees, yeah."

"You've got it Deidara-senpai!"

"NO, BAKA! Not yet, yeah!" Deidara's blue eye popped out as his partner impulsively jumped off the giant clay bird to safely land on the ground, "Shit!"

The nin stuck his hands into his parcel and let the mouths on his palms devour some clay. Watching his baka partner from afar, he waited for his hands to produce some clay spiders then threw them at the fighting shinobi right below him.

Activating her bloodline limit, Hinata stood up from the stump she was resting on. The dark-haired kunoichi thought she heard a soft thump not too far from her and Sakura. That would not be her Naruto-kun or Neji-niisan. She could easily hear that they were still duking it out near the cliff side.

The pinkette's eyes narrowed as well and she tried to feel for any unfamiliar chakra signatures. Getting into their fighting stances, Sakura and Hinata stood back to back, waiting for anything to appear.

"See anything yet, Hinata," whispered the medic-nin.

The heiress checked the area again, "No, not yet. Someone is here, but they're excellent at hiding their chakra. I can't get a clear picture." Her soft voice drifted in the night air, but the lack of her usual stutter indicated the seriousness of the situation.

Sakura nodded and kept her fists filled with killer chakra. She hoped the boys would wake up from their brawling soon so they could defend themselves properly.

Suddenly the air was filled with several small explosions from the cliff side. The girls' heads snapped around to see the edge of the cliff crumble and become a landslide heading straight for Naruto and Neji. Gasping in shock, the kunoichi started running towards their boyfriends.

Before they got two steps, both girls were driven into the ground from behind by some massive creature with an orange head. Hinata recovered first and sent chakra into the enemy's chest, sending him flying backwards.

Sakura jumped up and ran for the distinctive orange head, aiming for the tiny hole over what she assumed to be an eye. As she got closer, the medic-nin was able to recognize the red and black cloak of the Akatsuki and her temper flared at the audacity these bastards had to come so close to Konoha.

Tobi ducked a split second before Sakura's hand slammed into the rock behind him. He flipped over the pink kunoichi and sent a leg out to kick at the attacking Hinata. The dark-haired kunoichi twisted out of his range, but kept coming with raised hands. Hinata hit three chakra points on the masked shinobi before backing off to let Sakura land a punch from behind his head.

The newest Akatsuki recruit felt a crushing blow sent to his brain and flew several yards over the ground. His body rolled a few times until it was stopped by a tree trunk.

The kunoichi waited a few seconds for the man to move then sighed in relief when not even a finger twitched. Then they heard more explosions coming from the trees and filling the air with smoke.

"Damn it," whispered Sakura, "Hinata, where's Neji and Naruto?"

When the Hyuuga heiress activated her Byakugan, but instead of finding the boys, she gasped and turned around to point towards the now moving body of the Akatsuki.

Sakura's emerald eyes widened as Tobi stood back up and rolled his shoulders, loudly cracking joints from all over his body.

"Oh shit..."

As numerous rocks and dirt slid down the cliff, Neji and Naruto broke off from their fight and jumped away from the massive landslide.

"What the fuck?" Naruto turned around to look for the enemy, but could not sense anything. He glanced at the young Hyuuga next to him for any information.

Neji's Byakugan was already on, but even he was having trouble pinpointing the threat, "Whoever it is, only wanted to get our attention. Get ready." His pearl eyes caught the slightest movement from just behind their feet.

"SHIT!" Neji and Naruto flew into the air just as the tiny clay spider detonated.

The small blast radius was left on the ground where the two leaf-nin had just been standing. Neji and Naruto landed on top of the newly created pile of dirt next to the cliff side only to have another two blasts throw them face forward on the ground.

High above the ground, Deidara lowered his hand and smirked down on the sooty Kyuubi as he and his comrade quickly picked themselves up, "Heh, this may be easier than I thought, yeah!" He opened up his other hand and let several tiny clay sparrows drop in the open air. Deidara activated the clay sparrows and sent them to dive bomb the targets.

Sneering, Neji saw the flying bombs, jumped up in the air, and released his Keiten. A cloud of fiery explosions filled the sky with Neji landing on the ground completely unharmed.

Naruto narrowed eyes and looked to the sky, "How much do you wanna bet that we're dealing with that freaky pyromaniac from Akatsuki?"

"Hn," Neji focused his Byakugan and gave the skies a thorough search, "There... high above the cliff."

"Aha!" Naruto created a crowd clones and turned two into over-sized shuriken, "Get down here!" Jumping on top of a clone ladder, he threw one shuriken after the other into the air at the huge clay bird.

Deidara's bird easily dodged the first shuriken then sunk below the other, "Tch! Took you long enough, yeah!" He was about to dig into his clay pouch, when he felt a presence behind him.

The Naruto clone dove at Deidara and pulled the both of them off the bird. The missing-nin quickly dispatched the clone before he safely hit the ground with a soft thud.

"Great," grumbled the blonder Akatsuki as he glanced around the trees, "I hate losing a tactical advantage. At least Tobi is doing his job, yeah!"

Back further among the trees, Sakura and Hinata gaped as the Akatsuki brightly hopped from one foot to the next.

"Tobi's not done playing with the pretty ladies," came a cheerful voice from behind the horrifying orange mask, "Deidara-senpai wouldn't want to be disturbed from the Kyuubi."

Two sets of feminine eyes hardened at Tobi's happy quips.

"You will not touch, Naruto," growled the pink medic-nin before she took a flying leap and landing her fist into the ground. The two girls watched as the seemingly invincible Akatsuki fumble as the ground underneath his feet broke into pieces.

Quick as a blink, Hinata bounced over the crevice Sakura created and jumped off a rising block of dirt to attack as many of Tobi's chakra points with her gentle fist. Hinata landed back beside the pinkette and returned to her fighting stance.

Tobi shook his body as his chakra network sputtered while it corrected itself, "The pretty ladies' touches are cool. Tobi can't remember when he had so much fun."

"I'd call him a perv," Sakura mumbled out the side of her mouth, "But I don't think it'd sink in."

"Gatsuga!" Two spinning typhoons rose behind the kunoichi and crashed into the surprised Akatsuki. Then Kiba and Akamaru appeared in front of Sakura and Hinata to face off the groaning Tobi.

The Inuzuka and dog nin turned around, "You two okay?"

"Yes, Kiba-kun," replied his teammate, "Is anyone else here?"

Kiba nodded as he and Akamaru used the Beast Human Clone jutsu, "The ANBU should be here soon. Who's this weirdo?"

Sakura crossed her arms, "Calls himself Tobi."

The masked Akatsuki crawled up to one knee and cleared his dizzy head, "Wow, that's a big dog. Tobi likes dogs!"

Kiba raised an eyebrow at Sakura, "You weren't kidding. You two go help Naruto. We'll take care of this guy."

With Hinata leading the way, the kunoichi ran for towards the sounds of explosions among the trees and stopped when they had to duck an airborne clone of Naruto. Hinata ran for the real Naruto, who was busy dodging all the flying bombs circling around him.

"Naruto-kun, duck!" The Kyuubi vessel flung himself to the ground as Hinata began her Protection of the Eight Trigrams jutsu. Careful to factor in Naruto's position, the kunoichi made sure to raise the protection orb from hitting him. The chakra extensions from her hands flew at an ever increasing pace destroying all the exploding sparrows.

A few yards away, Sakura saw Neji closing in on Deidara to land a few hits of his sixty-four palm on the man's body. The pinkette ran at full speed from behind her boyfriend, who easily saw her coming. He flickered out of the way a split second before Sakura smashed her chakra enhanced fist into Deidara's face. The sound of breaking mechanics rattled as the missing nin flew back.

"Nice shot," he murmured proudly in her ear.

The four shinobi gathered around the motionless body of the Akatsuki sprawled out on the ground. The ANBU black ops landed beside them and knelt to disarm the out-cold blond shinobi.

"Hn, for an S-class criminal that was almost too easy," pondered Neji as an ANBU inspected the comatose Diedara. Then they all heard an explosion coming from where Sakura and Hinata left Kiba with Tobi.

"K-Kiba-kun," shouted Hinata as she and Naruto ran for the huge fireball erupting among the trees.

All the ANBU, Sakura, and Neji paused as a thought hit them all at once. If the pyro was lying on the ground here, who made that last blast.

"EVERYONE OUT," commanded the ANBU captain.

The clay clone of Deidara blew up, sending whole trees, rocks, and shinobi flying through the air.

Neji looked up from the ground and uncovered his body from Sakura. The area behind them was sooty black and smoking with the odd burning bush. Neji could see the outline of the blast radius just a few meters away from their feet.

"That was too close," hissed Sakura as she looked for Hinata and Naruto, "Over there." The medic-nin pointed to where Naruto also used his body to protect his girlfriend from the bomb. As they picked themselves, up, they could see the ANBU ops standing up. All slightly singed, but unharmed.

Overhead, Deidara carried Tobi's beat up body on his giant clay bird and directed it to head for the Land of Fire borders, "Damn it! So close, yeah!"

Naruto hopped around and shook an angry fist in the air, "Yeah, you better run! Dattebayo!"

"HINATA!"

"SAKURA!"

The girls' heads turned around to see their worried parents heading straight for them.

"Mom," said the surprised pinkette as her mother ran up to hug her daughter, "What are you doing here? It's too dangerous for you."

The older woman pulled back from Sakura and shook the girl, "What am I doing here? What are you doing here? You never would have found yourself in this situation if you hadn't taken off like that! You, young miss, are grounded from here on out!" Sakiko continued to lecture and scream at her wincing daughter, all the while ignoring how Neji slipped away to check on his cousin.

Hiashi finished looking over his daughter for any injuries then sighed in relief. He turned to Neji, who hesitantly walked up to his uncle.

"Neji," the clan leader gave his nephew an acknowledging nod, "Is Sakura-san alright?"

The young man nodded and hung his head shamefully, "Hiashi-sama, I regret to inform you that I failed to protect Hinata's innocence."

The Hyuuga heiress felt her father's chilling gaze stab through her heart. Her nervous stutter came back full force.

"Fa-fa-father, p-please. It w-was wh-what I r-really wa-wanted."

Ever the enthusiast, Naruto ran up to Hinata and Hiashi, "Hyuuga-sama, Hyuuga-sama! This isn't going to hurt Hinata's chances in becoming Clan Heir, right? If anyone's earned the title, it's her!"

Hiashi sighed disappointedly at his daughter while throwing threatening glares at Naruto, "I'm sorry Hinata, but I am going to have to call a clan meeting to discuss this turn of events. I'm afraid, you may be not be Clan Heir for much longer."

Sakiko stopped in the middle of hounding Sakura as they both made worried glances at the panic-stricken Hinata and the guilt-ridden Naruto.

"Oh poor Hinata," whispered the younger pinkette, "If I had known, then I would have let Neji stop Naruto back at Kakashi-sensei's Tree house"

Sakiko pinched her daughter's ear and pulled her in close, "What was that, missy?"

Both Sakura and her inner self cringed in fear, 'Uh oh... busted!'

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The morning sunbeams filtered through the delicate curtains of the Mitsu's bedroom and cast their soft light on her closed eyelids. Her ruby eyes flickered opened to see her new alarm clock shining at her.

'Seven in the morning! That can't be right,' she lifted her head to get a better look, 'I never wake up early with only six hours of sleep. Especially after what happened last night. Last night!' She shot up in her bed and turned to her left.

And there he was... The dark and handsome chuunin was still fast asleep on his back, lying comfortably next to her. Smiling, Mitsu snuggle back under the covers and happily watched Izumo slumber peacefully. She mentally traced imaginary fingers along his face, lingering on his cute nose, and wondering how his morning kisses would feel with his stubbled chin. As her mind threw fantasy after fantasy at her, she could feel her body tingle and ache for his passion again. Biting her lower lip, her hands itched to turn his head and take his lips to hers. Kami! It was like he was an addiction she never wanted to give up.

Mitsu quickly glanced at the clock, 'Maybe there's enough time before Kana wakes up.'

She waved a hand over his face to make sure he was truly asleep then slipped further under the covers. Her vision was now turning clouded, but that mattered little since most of the light was blocked by the blanket anyways. Feeling his body heat, she slid close to his lower body and placed her mouth over his soft member.

Izumo groaned as he felt something wonderfully warm and wet enclose around himself, 'Whoa, what is that? Am I dreaming again?' He opened his dark eyes to look around an unfamiliar room.

'Wait, this is Mitsu's room,' he turned his head to see his clothes thrown onto a nearby chair. He hissed as he felt pressure increase around his growing member. Izumo looked to his right to where Mitsu had lain the night before.

'If she's not there then...,' he threw the blanket off to see Mitsu gazing up at him with her swirling rubies and his length in her mouth, "Oh Kami!"

Biting back anymore noise, he threw his head back on the pillow as she intensified the ministrations on his hardened length. He could feel her hands stroke and a thumb circle underneath the head of his erection. Her other hand grazed his scrotum and she would occasionally pull from his member to kiss the soft skin.

"Mitsu-chan," he half-whispered, half-whined, "Please, Mitsu-chan." He wanted to take her, to fill her again with his essence.

She smirked against his girth and this time agreed to his plea. Pushing from his lower body, Mitsu sat up between his legs and pulled her nightshirt over her head. He licked his lips as his hands traveled over her bare curves and smooth skin.

Izumo groaned as she fully seated herself on top of his member. He watched Mitsu shiver as he filled her completely and she could feel the tip of him pressing against her cervix. This time it was her turn to whine as the delicious sensations sent her reeling.

Panting to keep control, Izumo began lifting his lower body and pushing himself further into the burgundy beauty. Her eyes shut tight as she cried aloud at his forceful thrusting. Soon she was joining him in rhythmically rolling their hips together. With every move of their burning flesh, Mitsu could sense the incredible tension in her body build up. Oh, she wanted to keep doing this with him forever... To forget the outside world and make love to her handsome Izumo. Then she felt her inner muscles gave a final clench before her orgasm crashed into her.

With her quivering voice filling his ears, Izumo ground himself faster into Mitsu hips as he found his release, "God, Mitsu!" She felt his body jerk underneath her and his semen fill her inside. Ruby eyes swirling like mad, the burgundy beauty sighed in satisfaction and leaned down to passionately kiss her fiance.

Then she softly cooed in his ear, "This is your morning wake up call. It's been a pleasure servicing you." She smugly watched as a grin spread across his face.

"And we hope you would use us over... and over... and over again," she giggled happily as Izumo growled in her ear and rolled her over on the bed. He attacked Mitsu's neck with stubbly kisses as she delightfully wiggled in his arms. Grinning against her skin, Izumo sucked at the hickey he made the night before and made sure it went back to being big and red.

"Oi, you two," came an irritated voice from the hallway, "Keep it the hell down! I'm still a child for fuck's sake!"

Both Izumo and Mitsu laughed as they pondered what the tired little girl said.

"Does she even know what half those words mean," chuckled Izumo as he looked down at Mitsu.

She grinned as her hands rested on his shoulders, "Probably not, but it's funny as all get out!"

An hour later, Izumo and Mitsu came out of the master bedroom fully dressed and ready for some breakfast. Sitting at the kitchen table, Kana looked them both up and down.

"Well, it looks like you two are still alive," she smirked at the blushing adults, "From all the noise coming from the room, I'd swear you guys were trying to kill each other."

Mitsu cleared her throat as she tried to change the subject, "Do you have everything you need for school, Kana-chan? Homework? Lunch?"

"Yup," smiled the midnight-haired girl, "Except I thought you and I would go out to eat for lunch, Mom. I really want some Ichiraku's Ramen!"

Her mother paused from drinking down her coffee, "Not that it doesn't sound fun, but why would you expect us to go out for lunch, dear?"

Kana crossed her arms and gave her mom a curious look, "Because you and I are spending the next four weeks at the academy. Remember, your D-rank assignment from the Hokage?"

Mitsu slapped her forehead in disgust. Damn it! She forgot!

Izumo turned from his breakfast with an amused look on his face, "You got a D-rank punishment? My, my aren't we full of surprises. You're not even a leaf shinobi."

Tsunade's voice echoed in her head with the reminder, "You will volunteer four weeks to the improvement of the genjutsu skills of our academy students and you will report to Umino Iruka at eight tomorrow morning."

"Shit! What time is it," Mitsu looked up at the kitchen clock, "It's a quarter past eight! I was supposed to report to Umino-san fifteen minutes ago."

"Umino Iruka," Izumo scowled jealously as he sipped his orange juice, "Why him?"

Mitsu shrugged as she chugged the last of her coffee and searched for her purse, "No idea. Sorry to take off like this. At the very least, I should get Kana-chan to school on time."

He placed his dirty dishes in the sink and waved a hand, "Don't worry about it. You two go ahead and I'll lock up the house, but how about a good bye kiss first?"

Mitsu smiled as she rushed up to kiss him. Both she and Kana were surprised when Izumo grabbed Mitsu, dipped her low, and gave her already red bruise a vicious suck. He lifted a dizzy woman back up and smugly checked his handiwork.

'There! Even Iruka should get the message that this one's taken!'

"Come on," sighed Kana as she dragged her mother out the door, "You can see Romeo later, Juliet!"

As Mitsu and Kana ran down the road, the eight year old noticed the amused looks her mother kept getting from random people. Her eyes narrowed as a couple of shinobi walked past them and gave her mother knowing winks.

'Okay, what is going on?' Kana stopped in the middle of the road and turned her mother towards her. Her dark eyes popped open when she saw the huge mark Izumo had left on her mother's neck.

"Holy shit, Mom!" Kana tried to point out the hickey, but her exasperated mother looked down at her watch.

"Not now, Kana-chan. It's eight thirty! We're late as it is." Mitsu grabbed her daughter's hand and ran towards the academy.

"B-but.." They rushed through the front doors with their footsteps echoing through the empty halls.

Mitsu stopped in the middle of the hall, "Which one is your classroom again?"

Kana pointed to the last door on the right, "That one, but Mom..."

Her mother pulled the eight year old down the hall and knocked on the door, "Pardon us," she peeked in the door at the surprised class, "I'm just here to drop off Kana-chan. Go on, dear." Mitsu gave her daughter a nudge inside.

Frustrated, Kana pointed to her mother's neck one more time and shouted, "But Mooom, Izumo-kun-"

"Ah, there you are, Mitsu-san," came Iruka's voice from behind them, "Glad you could make it! You're morning class is in fact over here across the hall." He opened the door and waved a welcoming hand.

Mitsu gave her daughter's forehead a kiss and pushed her into the room where all her classmates and teacher were snickering at the red-faced girl.

Her sensei chuckled as the little girl made her way to her seat, "So Izumo-kun, huh?"

"I think someone's mom got lucky last night," teased a red-headed boy from the back row.

Glaring at both the teacher and the boy, Kana made a mental note to add a couple new names to her Shit List.

Mitsu crossed the hall and walked into her classroom. The entire room that was originally humming with excitement over the new substitute teacher went silent as they looked the woman over.

"Good morning, Umino-san. Good morning, class," she gave a quick wave and nervous smile, "You may call me, Mitsu-sensei."

It started with one kid trying to stifle his laughter then more snickers and smirks filled the room.

"Um, is something wrong, Umino-san," she whispered to the chuunin who was trying to hide his own smirk.

A kid burst out laughing before Iruka could discretely inform Mitsu of her mark, "She's got a hickey bigger than the Hokage Monument!"

Turning several shades of red, Mitsu slapped a hand over her neck and let out a string of curses, "I don't fucking believe this! What a perfect start to this day!" Looking at her reflection in the window, she quickly fastened the last top button and folded up her collar. Despite her attempt to cover it, the bruise still peaked over the edge.

"I hope Izumo-kun's day is going better."

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Rest and meditation did nothing to break Hiashi's bad mood this morning. Shoda nearly had a breakdown when he heard the news about Hinata's escapade. Now, the Hyuuga Estate was abuzz about the huge meeting taking place tonight. The normally peaceful atmosphere of the Main House was incredibly tense and Hiashi was desperate to get out of there.

Sighing in relief, Hiashi strolled past his gate guards and traveled down the street. His mind filled with images of Mitsu and him together the day before and hopefully would be replaced with new ones this morning. His careful mask nearly broke from a smirk filled with anticipation of losing himself in Mitsu's kiss. Walking through the Uchiha gates, Hiashi's footsteps slowed until he stopped in the middle of the courtyard.

Humming, Izumo check the front door to see if was locked and turned around to head into work. Hopefully, he had a spare set of clothes in his locker or maybe the Hokage would... be...

'Uh oh.'

The Hyuuga looked the other man over... the barely buttoned dress shirt, the out of place slacks, and an extra spring in Kamizuki's step. It was abundantly clear that the boy stayed the night with Mitsu and that any morning romance was now out of the question. Hiashi's piercing white eyes bore into Izumo's as the older man's fists filled with killer chakra.

Shoda's voice echoed in Hiashi's head, "Any more assaults from the Hyuuga Clan on her shinobi would invoke a reprisal."

'Damn, can't blame this on the sake,' thought the Hyuuga leader as he released the chakra from his hands. This time Hiashi kept his mind clear and was able to hold back his jealous reaction, but he was not sure for how long. Still glaring at the younger man, he walked up to the interloper.

Within Izumo's mind, Kurenai's voice reminded him that sooner or later something like this would have happened, "No more stolen moments behind Hiashi's back." Izumo pushed his apprehension away and held his head high to Hiashi's angry scowl.

"Chuunin."

"Hyuuga."

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same, Hyuuga," Izumo narrowed his dark eyes at the other suitor. Hiashi was not wearing his traditional Hyuuga robes. Instead, he wore normal street clothes like that night at The Razor Leaf. The chuunin's eyes widened as he realized that the Hyuuga had planned a little morning tete à tete with his Mitsu.

'But then he doesn't know, does he? As far as he figures, Mitsu is still up for grabs,' Izumo snarled inwardly. He was sorely tempted to give the Hyuuga the happy news, but then he did have some sense of self-preservation.

'Besides, this should be something Mitsu must do... that is, if she can get over her strange behavior around Hiashi.'

Hiashi watched the other man inwardly debate. If the boy was that insecure about where he stood with Mitsu, than far be it for Hiashi not to take advantage.

"Since Mitsu was in such distress, yesterday morning. I thought she might be in need of more 'Comfort'." The older man openly smirked at Izumo's eye twitching jealously.

"She's not here right now and she's not going to need 'Comforting' from you anymore, Hyuuga," growled the chuunin as he stepped closer to the man, "If anyone's going to, it'll be me."

Hiashi crossed his arms and raised a dark eyebrow, "Until the next time you screw up or maybe when Mitsu realizes that she would be happier with me. I can offer her everything you can and so much more."

Oh, Izumo wanted to let the smug bastard have it. He desperately wanted to tell the Hiashi-teme about their little lovefests last night and this morning, but then what difference would that make to the Hyuuga. He might just write it off as Mitsu's little fling before marrying him. As long as the burgundy beauty chose Hiashi in the end, what did he care about the snotty chuunin. Hiashi needed to hear for himself Mitsu's decision... to see for himself, whose wedding ring she would wear.

'Fuck! A ring,' panicked Izumo, 'I need to get Mitsu an engagement ring A.S.A.P.! A hickey might stop someone like Iruka, but not Hyuuga-teme!'

Right on cue, Kotetsu came drifting through the gates carrying a paper bag in one arm and whistling a happy tune. The last note fell down the scale when he saw his best friend and Hiashi standing in the courtyard, in the middle of a glaring contest.

"Not good. That's not good," the wide eyed nin stood frozen next to the gates wondering if it was too late to call for back up. Oh wait, he's the back up! Shit!

Kotetsu cleared his throat and walked up to his teammate, "Um, excuse us, Hyuuga-sama, but we're already late for work and the Hokage will have our hides if we make her wait any longer."

Hiashi chuckled as he looked the boy in the eye, 'That's right,' the Hyuuga clan leader seemed to say as he walked past the two chuunin, 'Run behind you're mother's skirt.'

The younger suitor grit his teeth while his fists tensed, ready to slam the snobby blue-blood into the ground.

"I'll be sure to tell Mitsu you said 'Hi' when I see her later on," came Hiashi's voice from the street. Izumo paled uneasily at the thought of Mitsu coming back from the academy to a lustful Hiashi waiting at her doorstep.

Kotetsu let out the breath he had been holding and nearly fell over, "Damn, man! How many times do I have to pull your ass out of the fire! Come on, let's take the long way to the Hokage Tower." Kotetsu pushed his teammate out the gates and down the road past the Aburame compound.

"Here's a change of clothes," He dumped the bag into Izumo's arms then gave the Aburame guards an acknowledging salute.

The two guards nodded back then gave a distracted Izumo worried looks. Apparently, even the destruction beetles could smell him and the Hyuuga's pissing contest from that far.

'I won't let the Hyuuga win. I gotta keep him away from her.' The chuunin wondered if Mitsu would object to running down to the courthouse for a quick civil service over lunch.

"Argh! She'll kill me if I don't get her a ring first," Izumo grumbled aloud as he shove the bag under one arm.

Kotetsu turned to his best friend with a smirk, "Thinking about eloping, huh? You're right. If Mitsu doesn't kill you, Kana-chan would do her best to finish the job."

"No kidding," the lovelorn man sighed, "I only just got back in Kana's good graces. The last thing I need is a step-daughter grudging for the rest of her natural life."

Kotetsu snickered as he poked at his friend's shoulder, "That's right! You're gonna be a Dad! And to think, not too long ago, you complained about all the snot-nosed brats in the world."

"That was three years ago when we had to get Konohomaru-san out of his grandfather's office. Kana-chan would not do that!"

"Nooo," agreed the blue-haired nin as he snorted in laughter, "She'd just try to kick the shit out of you while cussing up a storm."

Izumo gave Kotetsu a dirty look, "Try! The operative word is 'Try'!"

His teammate shrugged, "Yeah, well... I figured you'd be antsy to get hitched to Mitsu. So to speed things up, here you go!"

Izumo blinked as his friend slapped an envelope with a tidy sum of yen into his hand, "Huh?"

The smiling nin gave Izumo a punch on the shoulder, "Go buy a ring. You can cover it later. Besides, if you don't stop this with the Hyuuga, I'm out one teammate. And I just got used to the smell... Well, that and having you around makes ME look good."

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Standing outside in the playground, Mitsu looked over her afternoon class of twelve year olds. They all stared up at their new substitute teacher with a huge hickey peeking out from behind her collar. She could see their attitudes ranged from mild apprehension to complete boredom.

'Well', she straightened her shoulders and stared them down, 'I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to make shinobi.'

"Alright class," Mitsu raised her voice to make sure she had their attention, "Time for our genjutsu lesson Your first defense against genjutsu is to realize when you're caught in one. To do that you must find the flaw. Every genjutsu has at least one. It's your mind telling you something is wrong. Our first exercise will be identifying the flaws."

She went through a couple hand signs and released the jutsu on the students. The playground turned dark with the afternoon sun being replaced by the summer moon. They all looked around and shrugged.

"Okay aside from day turning to night, tell me a flaw," Mitsu smiled as she watched some of the students wandered around the swings and school grounds.

One finally raised her hand, "It was a full moon last night. That's a crescent moon in the sky."

"Very good," said Mitsu, "What else?"

Another girl timidly raised her hand, "The constellations are all wrong. It's summer, those are for winter."

"Good job. There's one more. Be sure to think about this carefully."

All of them groaned as they continued to search the area.

A boy, who had settled down under a tree, yawned and waved a hand, "It's too quiet. There aren't any night sounds like crickets or the city noise."

Mitsu nodded her head, "Perfect! Alright, let's move to the next lesson." She released the jutsu then her hands blurred through a more complicated sequence of signs. Looking around, the kids gathered around her again. Everything was the same. At least it seemed like it, until their new teacher started handing out pens and papers to each student.

"I want each of you to write down all the flaws you can find. Then return your worksheet to me for grading." After setting them into groups of three, she watched them scatter on their scavenger hunt throughout the academy. Sighing as she sat down on a swing, she pondered the lessons she was planning for the next four weeks. Teaching these kids basic genjutsu techniques would be fine and dandy, but her real specialty centered on distracting enemy ninja, specifically her clan jutsu that utilize feminine wiles. Maybe she should set up some special lessons for kunoichi on using these particular jutsu.

'Better get the request done before the students finish,' Mitsu thought as she watched the children search the yard, 'That last boy's hand is writing faster than a typewriter.' She quickly stood up from the swing and made her way to the teacher's lounge.

Mitsu peeked her head into the teacher's lounge where Iruka sat working on grading papers.

"Umino-san? Do you have a moment?"

The chuunin looked up from his station and smiled, "Sure, Mitsu-san. And it's Iruka."

The burgandy kunoichi smiled as she walked through the door, "Iruka-san, I was wondering if I could have an afternoon session where I can teach some of my clan's jutsu to the young kunoichi."

Iruka nodded in thought, "That sounds good. What age group are you thinking?"

"Actually, all the academy girls should be able to do the simple stuff I was thinking about, but some the genin's could benefit from it too."

"Great! I'll send in a request to the Hokage and she could arrange messages to all the kunoichi. How does tomorrow afternoon do for you?"

Mitsu grinned and gave him a wave, "Perfect! I better get back to my class. I just hope they haven't run off on me."

Iruka shrugged, "Eh, you get used to it."

--------------------------------------------

Four young kunoichi sat in a hospital exam room, anxiously waiting for the Hokage to enter. Sakura yawned and rubbed her tired green eyes. Tenten was winding her shoulders around, trying to relieve the stiffness that a couple hundred push ups tend to do. The pinkette looked over at Ino, who had holding her head in pain, then to Hinata, who stared down at her fidgeting hands.

Hinata was scared stiff from what her father told her last night. At this very moment an entire clan meeting was being assembled to discuss the loss of her innocence to Naruto. The humiliation was completely suffocating the delicate heiress... although that title could still change, if the clan votes it. Feeling a soft hand on her shoulder, Hinata looked up from her shaking hands to see Sakura give her an encouraging smile.

"Neji and your father will figure out something," whispered the pinkette and gave Hinata's shoulder a squeeze, then turned to the other girls, "Okay, I know why Hinata and I are here, but what about you two."

Tenten sighed as she rubbed her sore arms, "After making me do a hundred sit ups and two hundred push ups, my mother figured out that I lost my virginity to Lee and scheduled this little appointment with Tsunade-sama."

Sakura nodded her head in understanding, "I see. What about you Ino?"

"Too loud. Too loud," Ino lifted shaking hands to her throbbing temples, "Everyone is too loud."

"Sounds to me like, blondie's got a massive hang over," smirked Tenten, "Why don't you just take some painkillers?"

Ino groaned as she looked over at her friends, "Because my parents forbid me from taking any. My Dad said that I shouldn't have been drinking in the first place and that I deserved to feel every bit. Then they demanded I see Tsunade-sama, as well. Kami knows why?"

"Then heal it yourself, Ino-pig," Sakura shook her head in pity at the blond.

"Can't concentrate," she replied as her hands flickered on and off with healing chakra, "Head hurts too much."

The door slammed open with Tsunade marching right in on the startled girls. Ino ducked her head under her arms, trying to block out all the noise resonating through the room. The Hokage smirked at Ino's attempt to relieve her aching cranium. She walked up to the girls and gave each of them stern glares. Every one of them bowed their head in complete shame and embarrassment.

Although, Ino's shame was mixed with intense agony, "Why is that ant stomping through the room," the young Yamanaka harshly whispered as she pointed to a corner.

Tsunade scowled, honed in on the ant, and slammed her high heel on the innocent creature.

"Oh Kami," shuddered Ino as the sound of Tsunade's shoe pounded straight through her brain.

The Hokage turned back around and looked the young kunoichi over, "Now that the insect is out of the way, shall we begin."

"So did any of you girls use protection last night," Tsunade looked at all the girls' guilty faces. All except for Tenten.

"What? Didn't you always wonder what that last line on my summoning scroll was," shrugged the weapon mistress as the others stared at her, "I came prepared. Why didn't you?"

Tsunade rapped her fingernails on her crossed arms, "Why indeed! Sakura and Hinata are you familiar with your cycles?"

Sakura stood up straighter in her chair, "Hai, Tsunade-sama. My period ended last week."

"Hinata?"

The dark-haired heiress blushed and fidgeted her fingers together, "The same, H-Hokage-sama."

Tsunade sighed as she clucked her tongue, "Tch, too close for comfort. In that case, come into the hospital in a couple weeks. Chances are you're fine, but we should make sure."

"You, on the other hand," the brown-eyed blond stared down the blue-eyed blond, "Will report to the hospital labs for a blood test one week from today."

The confused blond looked up from her hands, "A blood test? Why?"

Tsunade's face broke into a sweet smile, "Because it's the most accurate way we can detect a baby in the shortest amount of time, dear."

"But I thought you said we were fine?"

The Hokage shook her head, "I said there was a chance _they_ were fine, " The woman waved a hand at Sakura and Hinata, "Aburame-sama informed all of us there, that you were ovulating last night."

The Yamanaka girl put up a haughty grin, "Yeah, right! That's four or five days away."

Sakura's tired brain went on automatic as she lifted a finger, "Actually Ino, a woman's day of ovulation may vary anywhere from the tenth to the nineteenth day of her cycle. In addition, a woman is considered fertile a few days before the actual egg release."

During the pinkette's mini-lesson, Ino started counting on her fingers and realized that yesterday hit the tenth day her cycle, "OH FUCK!"

Tsunade sneered at the young woman, "Exactly, Miss Hot and Horny! Honestly, girl... In a mini-bar AND up in a tree?"

Turning bright red, Ino's head drooped and she shrugged, "He's that good."

"Whoa, back up a minute," Sakura jumped up from her chair, "In a mini-bar? What mini-bar in particular?"

Ino cringed and licked her lips nervously, "The one in Kakashi-sensei's Tree house."

"What! Since when?"

Her blond friend recoiled from the pinkette and tapped her hair, "Gee, I don't know the old noggin's still a little foggy..."

"INO-PIG!"

"Since you and Neji came up the tree trunk until the Tree house fell apart," spat out the confessing girl.

Sakura grabbed Ino's shirt with both hands and dragged the scared blond out of her seat, "Do you mean to tell me that you and Shino were knocking boots in the mini-bar while Neji and I were gettin' busy less than a meter away?"

Ino smiled sweetly at her friend and brushed off some imaginary lint off Sakura's shoulder, "Something like that."

Taking deep and slow breaths, Hinata opened up her coat and started to fan herself. Was it just her imagination or was it getting too hot in here.

Tenten sat wide eyed at the two girls, "Damn! When you two compete, you compete at everything!"

All the girls turned when they heard roaring laughter coming from Tsunade's direction, "So let me get this straight. All four of you kids were in Kakashi's Tree house having sex at the same time!"

Both girls turned beet red as they nodded. The Hokage laughed all the harder while Tenten paled and Hinata turned red at the horrible vision.

"No wonder Anko was so pissed," howled Tsunade as she lifted a hand to her head, "Neji and Shino had to have known. You can't hide stuff like that from them. I gotta give props to the boys for working under so much pressure!"

Sakura leaned over to her best friend, "Ino, what is she talking about?"

Embarrassed, Ino sighed as she pinched her nose. Might as well tell Sakura everything. The pinkette will find out sooner or later.

"Well, Anko-san and Kotetsu-san were trapped under the bed," she explained, "And Asuma-sensei and Kurenai-sensei were hiding in the closet."

Sakura turned from bright red to stark white, "Don't tell me that they were having sex at the same time too!"

To the pinkette's relief, Ino shook her head, "No, no I think they were finished... but Izumo-san was having a grand ole time banging Mitsu-san in the bathroom."

Hinata's pearl eyes rolled up in her head as she fell forward in her chair.

Tenten caught the poor girl before she hit the floor then propped Hinata back up, "What the hell went on last night? It sounds like you guys were in the middle of a freakin' orgy!"

Ino hopped out of her seat and waved her hands, "No! That's not what happened!"

"Yeah," added Sakura as she defended herself, "An orgy is when several people are having sex together!"

Tsunade burst out with more laughter as Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, they have to know the others are there..." the pinkette's voice trailed off.

Tsunade's arms were wrapped around her stomach from busting her gut, "Oh, please stop! It hurts!"

Frustrated, Sakura tried again, "At the very least, there has to be alcohol involved!"

Ino slapped the babbling pinkette upside the head, "You're not helping, Forehead!"

Tenten lifted her hands to her innocent ears, "I can't believe you two! What's next mènage à trois?"

"That should be for Kiba-_kun _to decide. Eh, Ino," cracked the Hokage as she winked repeatedly at the furiously blushing blond.

"Oi! Did not need to know that," shouted Sakura as she covered her own ears.

Just then Shizune knocked on the door with the girls' medical files and a request form, "Tsunade-sama..." The brunette stopped as she watched the flustered girls rush to their seats, "Is Hinata-san alright?"

Finally working out the last of her giggles, Tsunade took a cleansing breath and return to her normal stern face. She walked over to Hinata and lightly ran her healing chakra over the girl's forehead. Hinata's pearl eyes fluttered open and she groaned while straightening herself up.

"She'll be fine," said the Hokage then she gave the heiress a pat on the back, "Thank you for the files, Shizune. What's that?" Tsunade looked at the green paper clutched in her assistant's hand.

Shizune looked at her hand, "Oh yes! I have a special request from the Academy. They want to hold a Genjutsu Workshop for all the kunoichi from Academy age to genin, tomorrow afternoon."

"Hmm that should be right up Kurenai's alley. Have that as one of her D ranks and assign Anko too. We gotta keep that kunoichi out of trouble," Tsunade looked over at the nervous girls in front of her, "Along with Ino and Sakura. You two are good with genjutsu. I'm sure they could use some help."

The two girls groaned together. Sakura had planned to hibernate for the next three days while Ino wanted to crawl into some hole in the ground until her hangover cleared up. Now they were either stuck grounded at home or stuck babysitting at work.

"Oh hell..."

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After finishing work, Anko and Kurenai found Izumo perusing a jewelry shop window. The chuunin looked flustered as he hovered from one display to the next.

"Oi! Kamizuki, Kotetsu told us you could use some feminine advise with Mitsu's engagement ring," Anko came up behind the chuunin and gave him a friendly slap on the back.

Izumo sighed as he backed away from the window, "Yeah, so can you help me, Kurenai?" He ignored the evil eye Anko was giving him and let Kurenai draw him to a certain ring.

"Okay, first off... You need to understand how the diamonds are classified," lectured the kunoichi, "You should pay attention to the cut, clarity, and color of the stone. These affect the brilliance of the diamond the most."

"You want at least a good cut, with little or no color, and the minimal amount of visible scratches or trace materials. So an Excellent cut Round diamond with F colorless and VVS1 or VVS2 clarity should be nice while still working within your budget. The salesperson should have a microscope we can use to inspect the diamonds to make sure he's not gipping us. You guys got all that?"

Izumo and Anko blinked in silence as they digested all this information.

"Does Asuma know you have this little hobby," asked Anko with a wave at the jewelry displays.

Kurenai blushed as Izumo snickered behind his hand, "No, he doesn't and neither one of you are going to mention it. Got it! Come on then." She pushed both of them into the store.

The salesperson looked up from his cleaning and bustled from the counter to greet them, "Good afternoon all," smiled the jeweler as he made his way to the three shinobi, "And how may I help you?"

Izumo stepped forward with a nervous smile, "Ah yes, I'm looking for a matching engagement set for my fiance."

The jeweler raised an eyebrow as he looked at the two women on either side of him, "Oh? May I inquire which one is the lucky lady?"

Both women laughed at the salesman's assumption, "Pfft, yeah right... As if."

Izumo turned bright red and scowled, "They're just here to help me. This is sort of a surprise for my fiance."

"Ah I see. I see," the salesman directed the three of them to the wedding sets in a counter on the other side of the room, "Tell me if you see anything you like and I'll pull it right out for you."

Kurenai waved a hand at the salesman to get his attention, "What my friend is planning to do is chose a nice diamond separate from the rings. Do you mind showing me some of your VVS1 or Flawless stones?"

The jeweler looked somewhat surprised at the serious kunoichi, but smiled and scurried off to the back to look for the diamonds.

Kurenai turned to the others, "I'll work on the diamond, you two look for a good matching set. Concentrate mostly on white gold. It reflects light better than yellow gold while still being more affordable than platinum."

Anko peered strangely at her friend, "I stand corrected, Kurenai. This isn't a hobby for you. It's an obsession."

The kunoichi sighed and crossed her arms, "I'm helping the best way I can. I want Izumo to get the best without spending too much."

"But Kurenai," piped up Izumo, "Aren't you suppose to spend three months salary on the ring?"

Anko took in the chuunin's scruffy appearance and scoffed, "Maybe, but if Mitsu cared about something like that she would have married Hiashi-teme."

"Just pick something she'd like," assured Kurenai, "Chances are she would prefer you to spend the money on the Honeymoon."

A stupid grin grew on Izumo's face as he suddenly became lost in thought, 'Oh yeah, the best part of getting married. A vacation that requires you to do nothing but stay in bed and occasionally come up for air.'

Anko waved a hand in front of the chuunin's face, "Yup, he's gone. You had to mention sex, didn't you!"

"Just look through the rings," sighed the other woman.

As Kurenai inspected all the diamonds the salesman brought her, Anko and Izumo stood a few feet away trying to decide on a set.

"That one looks good," pointed Anko.

"Nah, too many side stones. There's really no point in having that many."

"So what are you planning on doing after getting the ring," asked Anko, "Gonna head straight for her home before the Hyuuga shows up?"

He nodded, "That's the plan! The sooner she gets an engagement ring, the easier it'll be for her to tell Hiashi that she's spoken for."

The jeweler's ears perked up at his best customer's name, "Hiashi," he whispered to Kurenai who was inspecting a stone in a microscope, "Is he talking about Hyuuga Hiashi?"

"Yup," Kurenai pulled the stone out, "This one is too yellow. Please give me another one."

The salesman complied, but his face had turned deathly pale. Only a few days ago, a representative from the Hyuuga clan said that the Hyuuga clan leader would be marrying soon and demanded to see the best and most expensive wedding ring he had. After taking a quick look, he snapped it up and the jeweler found himself holding a massive amount of cash. If he pieced the information correctly, that grandest sale of his life would soon be turning sour. He began to regret that thirty day return guarantee he advertised so much.

'I think I feel a cold coming on or a long standing vacation. Yes! That's it,' The nervous man looked over at the other two customers, 'As soon as I make this sale, the closing sign goes up and I am out of here!'

Izumo moved to the next glass case and looked down at the velvet displays underneath. There was one set that stood out to him. It had two side stones surrounding the white gold engagement ring and the matching band had three additional diamonds.

"Hey," he waved Anko over, "What do you think about this one?"

The snake kunoichi pressed her nose to the glass and took a close look, "Hmmm, nice. Definitely different. Let's get a better look. Oi! Garcon! He wants to see this set."

The jeweler hopped away from the disconcerting Kurenai and jingled his keys to open the case, "Oh, that's a good one. It's an eighteen carat white gold semi-bezel setting. The rim protects the diamond from damage while the white gold prong allows light to flow through adding to the brilliance!"

The salesman carefully handed the wedding set to the chuunin and watched the young man's eyes light up. A smile spread across Izumo's face as he gazed at the ring. He could definitely see this adorning Mitsu's hand. It was perfect.

"Let me try it on for size," asked Anko as she reached for the engagement ring, "Yeah, this fits well enough."

"The lady can always come back to have it resized," encouraged the jeweler, "So it looks like we have a wedding set chosen. All that's left is the center diamond."

The two shinobi turned to where Kurenai was twisting the knob on the microscope. Her humming tipped off Anko and Izumo that the kunoichi may have found something interesting.

"This one," Kurenai finally said, "He'll take this Ideal cut, J colored, IF diamond."

The man hurried over to see which one she was talking about. He looked into the microscope and nodded, "Yes. It is a fine stone, but it's not even one carat. Surely the gentleman would prefer a larger stone."

Kurenai shook her head and gave him a sly smile, "It's almost one carat and I'm sure with that semi-bezel setting, the gentleman won't need a bigger diamond."

Izumo was about to mention a bigger diamond might be a good idea, when Anko slapped her hand over his mouth. Both kunoichi glared at him with warning looks. Shopping was their territory. He was just along for the ride.

"I see, madam," shrugged the jeweler as he took up the ring Izumo chose, "In that case, I'll ring up the bill then my goldsmith in the back will set the diamond in the ring. It'll be about a half hour or so." The salesman quickly tallied up the receipt and hurried off to the back room The customer was about to look at the price tag for the first time and he loved watching this from the back room.

Izumo lifted the receipt from the counter top and sputtered uncontrollably, "Six hundred fifty thousand yen?!" He looked down at the envelope Kotetsu had given him earlier that day. There was about five hundred thousand in there already. If he hit the bank, he could pull out another hundred thousand from his savings account and put the rest on credit.

"Good bye, tropical honeymoon," groaned the chuunin, "Maybe the nearby hot springs resort is having a weekend special."

Kurenai chuckled as she looked over the offending piece of paper, "Relax this is just the beginning. We'll work him down."

Anko pulled up behind her friend and cracked her knuckles, "Heh heh. This should be fun. I can't remember the last time I haggled with a merchant."

"Maybe it was because word got around that you won't hesitate to use your snakes to get a discount," laughed Kurenai

"And I still won't," Anko nudged a hopeful Izumo

The panicking salesman pulled back from his peephole with a start, "Shinobi? Oh no! I should have recognized that guy's uniform, but I don't get ninja in here very often. What am I gonna do?" He peered back into the main room. The brunette with the long hair and red dress had an evil grin on her face as the other customers chatted about what methods they planned on using to reduce the price tag.

"Maybe I shouldn't have started with the eighty percent mark up," he looked back at his goldsmith who was almost done with the wedding set, "Too late for that now. If I drop it low and fast then I can get out of here before Hyuuga-sama returns his ring."

The goldsmith gave the ring set a last polish then handed the nervous salesman the finished product, "Good luck! By the way who should I give your remains to. Just in case, you don't come back?"

The salesman growled at his co-worker then stomped out to the main room.

"Alright then, the wedding set it ready to go," the salesman grinned at the frowning shinobi in front of him, "I take it the price is not to you're liking, sir? Well, that is to be expected since shinobi are frightfully underpaid for the important work you do for Konoha. Tell you what, I will give you my personal shinobi discount! Twenty percent off!"

Izumo was about to shake the jeweler's hand, when Kurenai stepped in between them and stared the man down.

"The gentleman was thinking more around fifty percent off. Considering how many times this young man has saved your livelihood, that should be a decent discount."

Anko's face broke into a sly grin as her sleeve started to slither with a snake underneath, "Yeah, Izumo here is going to have a family to take care of. Money's going to be tight."

The salesman gulped as his eyes zoomed in on the snake kunoichi's writhing sleeve, "Gee, fifty percent is a bit more than I can handle, but I could swing forty percent off." He gave the shinobi a hopeful grin and prayed it would be enough.

Kurenai and Anko nodded and pushed Izumo forward, "That'll do," said both brunettes.

Izumo and the salesman gave each other sheepish glances as they shook hands to seal the deal, 'I won't say anything, if you don't,' was the unspoken agreement between them.

The three shinobi walked out of the jewelry shop and down the road with one side of Izumo's jacket bulging just a little bit.

"Mission accomplished," Anko gave Kurenai a high five, "Good job everyone!"

Izumo grinned as he patted his grey jacket, "Now all Mitsu has to do is show Hiashi her hand and she won't have to say a word to get him to back off."

"What? Is she still having trouble getting Hiashi to go away," asked the snake kunoichi, "After last night, I thought it would have been a piece of cake!"

The chuunin sighed as he tried to make sense of it as well, "For some reason, it's more complicated than that. She told me when Hiashi proposed to her she tried to turn him down, but couldn't."

"What do you mean couldn't," said Kurenai.

"I think she physically couldn't. From the way Mitsu described it, she wanted to, but the words refused to come out."

Kurenai winced as she tried to think, "Wow, that is weird"

"She said that too," sighed Izumo, "That it was really weird and it never happened to her before."

Anko scrunched her nose up in thought, "Huh, you know what's weird That eye thing she gets whenever Izumo gets her horny. Now THAT'S weird!" The kunoichi giggled as the chuunin turned bright red.

"Maybe we should talk to Mitsu before you hand her that ring," said Kurenai as she tapped her chin in thought, "I think, I could help her get over her strange affliction with the Hyuuga. Anko, go get Kotetsu. I'll find Asuma and anybody else we might run into. We'll all meet at Mitsu's house. Is that okay, Izumo?"

The chuunin shrugged, "Sure! If it helps Mitsu stay out of Hiashi's grubby hands, I'm all for it!"

----------------------------------------------------------

As Izumo hurried his way through the crowds, he spotted a familiar burgundy hair bun leaving a grocery store and headed for home, "Mitsu! Mitsu!" Waving a hand, he pushed his way past the surging people and caught up with his fiance and Kana.

"Hi Izumo-kun," said Mitsu as she gave him a kiss, "Oh thank you." She smiled when he took the grocery bags from her arms and walked along side her.

Before long the three of them were strolling down the resident district and the mass of people cleared up. As they passed the Hyuuga Estate, Izumo brazenly gave the guards a happy salute and watched their faces break into worried expressions.

As they neared the house, Kana grinned while hopping around the two, "We need to hurry, Kakashi-sensei should be waiting for us at home. He's going to train me to copy jutsu!"

Mitsu rolled her eyes at the prospect of her volatile daughter learning jutsu by the hundreds, "Oh joy. I bet he was the one who taught you the Fireball jutsu, hmm?"

The eight year old cheerfully nodded and took off ahead of them.

"Figures," mumbled Izumo, "I hope you don't mind, Mitsu, but I talked to Kurenai and Anko about your problem with turning Hiashi's proposal down. Kurenai said she might be able to help you."

Mitsu beamed at him and shrugged, "No, of course I don't mind. Any help would be great! When were they planning on doing this?"

They walked into the front courtyard to see Kurenai, Asuma, Anko, Kotetsu, Kakashi, and Genma sitting around the front porch. Kana was already pulling on her sensei's ear, trying to get him to start her training instead of reading his trashy novel.

"I'd say right about now," Izumo winced apologetically as the shocked Mitsu gaped at the surprise company for dinner.

Once everybody was inside, Kurenai and Anko helped Mitsu in the kitchen in getting dinner started. Kakashi and Kana went outside to the dojo for her training while the Izumo and Kotetsu headed out to buy some more food.

"So Mitsu," said Kurenai as she started chopping up veggies for the stir fry, "How is it that you had trouble telling Hiashi that you couldn't marry him?"

The burgundy kunoichi sighed as she pulled out plates and cups from the cupboard, "I wish I could explain it better, but I think at the time I was either in shock or because he reminded me so much of Keitaro. To tell you the truth, even though I want to marry Izumo, I'd still have trouble facing Hiashi now."

"Keitaro," asked Asuma as he walked into the house from the patio.

"Her first husband and Kana's father," whispered Kurenai, "Died years ago in the Uchiha massacre."

The jounin nodded and turned to the living room where Genma was flipping through the T.V. channels.

Anko cut the meat and tofu before throwing them in the wok, "Hiashi is a lot like your old hubby, huh?"

The snake kunoichi paused to think of all the Uchihas she ever met and compared them with the Hyuugas, "Yup, I'd believe it... Rich arrogant bastards, the lot of them."

Laughing, Kurenai and Mitsu threw napkins at Anko's head.

"It sounds psychological to me," said Asuma as he made himself comfortable on a love seat

Kurenai nodded in agreement, "That's what I was thinking. Perhaps your subconscious wants to go back in time and re-start the future you had intended to have with Keitaro. Instead, it would be with Hiashi."

"Hmm," Mitsu titled her head in thought, "The theory sounds believable, but that was years ago. I've moved on. If that's true, how am I supposed to counteract my subconscious?"

Kurenai directed Mitsu into the living room to where Genma and Asuma were sitting, "Re-conditioning your brain. That's what we'll do! Hop to it, boys. Time to propose to Mitsu."

Anko dropped a plate in the kitchen while everyone else gawked at Kurenai. Genma and Asuma gaped at the dark-haired kunoichi.

"Excuse me," said Mitsu as she turned around and faced her friend.

Kurenai sighed as she pulled Asuma out off the couch and pushed him towards Mitsu, "Fake proposals, bakas! To get her used to turning down Hiashi."

"Aaah," came several sighs of relief. Although, Anko gave Kurenai a suspicious look from the kitchen. They all watched Asuma get down on one knee and lift Mitsu's hand in his.

He felt like a damn fool, especially when the real love of his life was pushing him to do this, "Mitsu, would you marry me."

Mitsu tried to hold back a snort and patted Asuma's hand, "No, I'm sorry. I can't marry you."

"See that was easy," shrugged Genma then he settled back down on the couch with the remote.

"Your turn, Toothpick," Kurenai crossed her arms and stared down the senbon shinobi.

Groaning, Genma stood up from the couch and got down on one knee in front of Mitsu, "You know, hearing your marriage proposal turned down flat hurts a guy's ego, even if it is fake."

"Oh suck it up, you baby," shouted Anko from the kitchen, "You run just as fast from commitment as Kakashi."

Genma rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath.

Just then the front door opened and Izumo came through the door with Kotetsu following after him, "Mitsu, I'm home!"

Kotetsu stopped in the middle of the hallway and gave Izumo a strange look.

"What?" Izumo dropped the BBQ pork bags on a side table and took the bag of sodas from his smirking teammate.

"You've been engaged for one day and you're whipped."

Izumo scowled at his best friend, "I am not!"

He grabbed a bag of food and headed for the kitchen, "Hey where's..." The chuunin's eyes bulged as he saw Genma down on one knee, taking Mitsu by the hand.

"Mitsu, would you marry me," mumbled the embarrassed shinobi.

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

Everyone in the house jumped to hear the chuunin's outburst.

Blind with rage, Izumo was about to attack the senbon shinobi when Anko bopped the furious chuunin on the head with a spatula.

"Oi, baka! It's a fake proposal. They're just helping Mitsu practice turning down Hiashi."

Kotetsu laughed at his friend while he brought in the rest of the food, "Whipped and possessive!"

"Laugh it up, blue-boy," said Asuma from the living room, "You're next!"

Kotetsu nearly slipped on the tile floor, "Wh-what?"

Mitsu turned back to Genma and replied, "No, I'm sorry. I can't marry you."

The brown-haired ninja stood back up with a sigh, "You know, if you had just said 'Yes', I could've easily taken him out. Then you and I..."

Kurenai gave Genma a slap on the arm and pointed him back to the couch before Izumo could launch himself at the chuckling jounin. The irritated chuunin settled for standing next to his Mitsu, dog-eyeing Genma the rest of the time.

Anko pushed a reluctant Kotetsu into the living room to face an amused Mitsu, "Go on then! Propose!"

The blue-haired nin could barely look the burgundy beauty in the eye as she watched him go down on one knee, "Mitsu, would you marry me?"

"No, I'm sorry. I can't marry you."

Kotetsu got off the floor and winced, "Ouch, babe. No one likes getting turned down, even if it isn't real."

"Told ya'," piped up Genma from the couch.

Kurenai looked out the sliding glass door at the dojo, "That leaves just one more fella to practice on."

She walked out onto the patio and shouted, "Oi! Kakashi, get your ass over here!"

Kakashi and Kana wandered into the living room with curious looks, "Yo! What's up?"

"Mitsu is practicing turning down Hiashi," said Kurenai as she pushed him towards Mitsu, "We need you to fake propose to her."

The Copy Nin scratched the back of his silver hair, "Eh, I don't know. Marriage proposals aren't my thing."

"Oh, we know," Asuma crossed his arms and leaned on a wall, "But if you want a free dinner, just do it. She needs the practice."

Kana giggled as she watched Kakashi lazily get down on one knee, "Mitsu, would you marry me?"

"No, I'm sorry. I can't marry you."

"Good enough for me!" The Copy Nin hopped up and gave everyone a masked grin.

"Well, that looks to be it," sighed Mitsu as she turned around to face Kurenai, "I hope it'll be enough." Just then she felt a finger tap her shoulder. Mitsu turned around to see Gai leaning down on one knee with roses in his outstretched arms.

"Would you marry me, most youthful Mitsu-chaaan!"

Mitsu let out a horrified shriek like a freaked out pussycat and jumped into Izumo's arms, "No way in fucking hell!"

Laughter filled the room as a puff of smoke surrounded Gai and Kakashi dropped his henge, "I'll take that as a 'No, I'm sorry. I can't marry you'."

Glaring daggers at the Copy Nin, Mitsu grumbled while a chuckling Izumo put her down, "Asshole."

Satisfied that his lady love was probably over her strange phobia, Izumo decided now would be a good time to give a real proposal.

Smiling, he pulled her to the center of the living room and gave her palm a kiss.

Wondering what Izumo was up to, Mitsu was surprised to see him get down on one knee and lift a hand in his. The other hand however reached into his grey jacket and pulled out a jewelry box.

"Mitsu, my love. Would you marry me?"

He opened up the box and watched her ruby eyes light up at the beautiful ring sitting inside. Everyone smiled as she nodded profusely at the chuunin.

"'Yes! Yes, I will marry you," she gave him a kiss as he stood up to place the engagement ring on her finger. Anko and Kurenai gently wiped tears from their eyes as they watched the romantic scene unfold, while Kana hurried in close to get a better look at the ring.

"I wanna see," protested the little girl until her mother held out her hand for her daughter, "Oooh pretty!"

Kotetsu walked up behind his teammate to see what his money had bought, "Hey, good choice! Not to mention that was a nice change from your other proposal."

The eight year old girl perked up when she heard Kotetsu's comment, "Oh, you were there?"

Both Mitsu and Izumo turned bright red as they stammered, "Um... yeah, he was there," mumbled Mitsu.

"Wow, was everybody else there too?" Everyone hemmed and hawed as they carefully admitted.

Kakashi smirked underneath his mask, "Genma and I weren't there. But I am curious as to how that proposal came about."

"Yeah," drawled the senbon shinobi knowingly, "It must be quite a story."

Kana looked back and forth between Mitsu and Izumo, eagerly waiting for them to begin the tale, "So? What happened?"

Six adults babbled anxiously as they tried to come up with an acceptable story for the little girl.

Mitsu nervously fidgeted her hands, "Uh, there was..." She looked to the others for help.

"A lot of kissing," said Anko with an encouraging thumbs up.

Kurenai smiled as she caught on, "And embracing." The others there coughed as they tried to come up with other descriptions.

"I would definitely say it was imaginative," admitted Asuma.

"It certainly felt fantastic," chuckled Izumo who got an elbow shoved into his ribs by Mitsu.

Kotetsu grinned as he leaned against a chair, "Very passionate."

"And loud," Kurenai slapped Anko upside the head, "EMOTION! A lot of loud emotion!"

Trying hard to keep his snickering under control, Kotetsu turned to the eight year old and laid a hand over his heart, "It was so romantic, she couldn't help, but say 'Yes'... a lot!"

"And other lovey-dovey stuff like that," squealed Anko as she patted a confused Kana on the head.

Trying to piece together a story from the embarrassed ramblings from the grown ups, Kana just shrugged her shoulders and grabbed an amused Kakashi's arm, "Okay then! Kaka-sensei and I have to get back to work! Call when dinner's ready!" Then she took off, dragging the Copy Nin with her.

Once the little girl was well out of earshot, the entire room cracked up at the incredibly embarrassed pair.

Mitsu covered her red face with both hands and cried, "Kami, you guys! If Kana-chan ever finds out, she's going to be scarred for life!"

Genma turned to Izumo and grinned, "You were boning her in Kakashi's Tree house, weren't you?"

The chuunin happily nodded.

"That's what I thought," said the brown-haired jounin and gave Mitsu a wink.


	16. Chapter 16

I do not own Naruto. I do not own t.A.T.u's "Not Gonna Get Us". Genjutsu Workshop hijinks inspired by the 2003 MTV awards. While most people I knew gasped in horror, I just busted my gut laughing!

Thank you, thank you for the reviews! It's great to hear from the readers. Anko's attempt at cooking was taken from my first year on my own. Oh, those poor innocent chocolate chip cookies! Sorry for the super lateness, but relatives visited and it's difficult to feel inspired when mom looks over your shoulder, asking what's a lemon. The Muse don't work that way!

Lemon, some lime, and the plot moves forward...

I hope you all enjoy!

**Chapter 16**

Running back to the kitchen, Anko turned off the stove and waved her hand over the smoky food, "If you guys, don't mind the stir fry being a bit Cajun, dinner is served."

Opening the sliding glass door for clean air, Mitsu called in her daughter and Kakashi from the patio. Everyone else helped themselves to the food on the table. The guys made an effort to avoid Anko's stir fry, except for Kotetsu, who was caught sneaking away. He did his best to keep a straight face while his girlfriend dumped a heap of the blackened mixture on his plate.

"Arigato, Anko-chan," the blue-haired nin kept a frozen smile plastered to his face as he reminded himself of that gorgeous bod underneath her trench coat As soon as Anko's back was turned, Kotetsu hurriedly scraped the crunchy bits into the garbage.

True to form, the guys sat in themselves right in front of the T.V. and immediately turned to a sports channel. The kunoichi smiled as they made their way to the backyard and sat at the patio table. Kana had scrambled ahead of the older women and was already scarfing down the ramen Izumo had bought especially for her.

In the middle of the meal, Anko slid her seat closer to Mitsu, who was carefully poking her toughened tofu, "Hey, Mitsu. Do you think you could get Izumo to stay the night? I want Kotetsu to take me home with him tonight."

"I don't know," mumbled the burgundy kunoichi as she turned to her BBQ pork, "Izumo's gonna want to go back home some time. Every guy needs his space."

"Not to mention some sleep and clean clothes," chuckled Kurenai before sipping her drink.

Anko threw out her lower lip and pouted pitifully, "Please, Mitsu-chan! Your bed is three times bigger than his and you could easily throw his clothes in the wash."

Mitsu furrowed her brow and frowned at the snake kunoichi, "Why is this so important to you?"

Kurenai rolled her eyes as she covertly spat Anko's dish into her napkin, "Uh oh, here we go."

Anko proudly grinned as she devoured everything on her plate, "Ahh! You see, it's my carefully developed boyfriend system. I go through all the stages of a normal relationship within two weeks. That way I can enjoy the good bits of dating without all the problems. We've been at my place, a neutral place, and now it's time for his place."

Mitsu carefully studied her pony-tailed friend, "Uh huh... Anko, don't you think that Kotetsu might be interested in something more than a two-weeker?"

The snake kunoichi set her chopsticks down on her plate and took a moment to seriously think, "NAH! So what do you say?"

Shaking her head, Mitsu stood up from her chair and pointed at Anko, "I'll do what I can, but no promises!"

The burgundy beauty walked through the living room and gave a smile to the guys before heading into the kitchen. As she slid her plate inside the dishwasher, Mitsu felt a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist.

She quickly looked behind her and gave a sigh of relief to see her fiancè looking down at her with his smiling brown eyes.

"Jumpy," the chuunin asked with a chuckle and gave her cheek a kiss.

She smirked while turning around in his arms, "You live through Gai asking for your hand in marriage, then see how you react."

Izumo smirked while his hand lifted her chin up to his lips, "Who says he didn't?"

She laughed out loud before placing both hands on his face and gave him a big kiss.

Asuma and Kurenai walked into the kitchen to put away their dishes, "Okay, I think that's our cue to leave," said Kurenai as she gave her boyfriend a nudge in the ribs. Asuma chuckled as he and and his girlfriend waved good bye to the blushing pair.

The brunette gave the other guys warning glances, forcing Kakashi and Genma out of their comfortable seats.

"Thanks for the dinner, Mitsu-san. I'll see you tomorrow, Kana-chan," Kakashi gave his student a masked grin and a wave good night.

Genma leaned into between the hallway and the kitchen with a sneer, "Yeah, thanks for the food. If you need anymore help in the romance department, please don't hesitate..."

Scowling, Izumo raised the back of his hand threateningly, "Get outta here!"

The Senbon Shinobi laughed as he gave the couple a lazy salute before following Kakashi out the door.

Kotetsu came bounding into the kitchen while nervously trying avoid the snake kunoichi, "Anko-chan has so kindly offered to cook me breakfast tomorrow, but we've got an early morning meeting with the Hokage. DON'T WE, Izumo."

Mitsu giggled at the panicked expression on Kotetsu's face while his teammate winced in sympathy.

"Oh that's right," Izumo snapped his fingers as Anko walked into the room, "We do have an early meeting with Tsunade-sama. Sorry, Anko."

Kotetsu let out a sigh of relief as his girlfriend made a sad face, "Yup, so sorry! Let's head out, man."

The grinning chuunin turned to his fiancè, gave her a good bye kiss, and a secret grope before following his best friend.

When the guys had their backs turned, Anko spun on her friend and silently begged for help.

Mitsu shook her head and whispered, "I never promised."

"Please!" The snake kunoichi bounced on her toes with her hands pressed together.

Leaning on the kitchen counter, the other woman narrowed her eyes and gave Anko a sigh, "Fine, but you owe me."

Rushing from behind, Mitsu slid her way to the front and looked up at the guys, who were half-way out the door, "Well, that's too bad, Izumo-kun. Then I won't mind an evening _alone_ with a romance novel while enjoying a hot steamy bubble bath inside my jacuzzi tub."

She made a wistful sigh and fluttered her burgundy eyelashes, "_Alone_ with a new massage oil and no one to rub it all over my body." She lightly traced a finger along her neck and gave Izumo a come hither look.

Blushing furiously, Kotetsu did his best to block out all the suggestive images, but Izumo froze with one leg in the air then took a giant step backwards.

"That meeting with Tsunade-sama isn't all that early. I can meet you there in time, man."

"WHAT," Kotetsu paled as Anko happily grabbed his arm.

Izumo gave his best friend an encouraging pat on the back and whispered, "There's antacid in the bathroom. You'll be fine." The snickering couple wiggled farewell with their fingers as Anko dragged Kotetsu through the gates and down the road.

"Don't you just love Karma," sneered the chuunin.

"Yeah," Mitsu smiled as she walked back inside the house, "Too bad there was no cookie to throw at _his _head."

"So what was that about a bubble bath and massage oil," leered Izumo as he swiftly closed the front door and began to tug the smirking woman down the hall.

Just as they passed Kana's bedroom, the eight year old shouted from her bed, "Oi! Whose gonna tuck me in? The stinkin' Tooth Fairy?"

Izumo gave Mitsu a nod towards her bedroom, "You go ahead and start filling the tub. I'll tuck her in."

Kana grinned as the chuunin walked through the door. This was great. She never had a father figure for bedtime before and she wanted to make the most of it.

Izumo sat down on the bed and gave the little girl a hug, "So what do you and your Mom usually do for bedtime?"

"Ummm," the girl's onyx eyes searched the room as she tried to think of a way to stall, "Stories and cookies, lots and lots of both... until I fall asleep!"

Izumo's brow furrowed as his libido reminded him of Mitsu waiting patiently in her bubble bath, "How about one bedtime story and a cup of milk."

Kana cringed as she remembered her experience the night before, "Change that to two bedtime stories, no milk, and you got a deal."

Forty-five minutes later...

Izumo came trudging into the master bedroom and looked to where Mitsu sat in the tub, bored to death. He paused to enjoy the view of the beautiful woman lying seductively among the scented bubbles, with burgundy hair piled on her head and a lovely leg resting up on the edge. He watched as she played with the white foam, scooping some up with her hand and letting it slowly slide down her fingers to a bare shoulder. Izumo was broken from his trance when Mitsu finally noticed him in the doorway.

"Hey, what happened to you," she asked while floating closer to the outer edge, "Kana-chan didn't get upset again, did she?"

Izumo sighed as he removed all his clothes and threw them on the floor, "No. I promised her two bedtime stories, but I didn't know she'd pick out such long ones!"

Mitsu burst out laughing as he settled into the tub, "Bedtime stories! Kana hasn't wanted those since she was six! Not to mention, she can read for herself. You sir, have been had."

The man groaned as he hung his head, "Damn! You're going to have to tell me this stuff or she's gonna walk all over me."

"Aww, don't worry," the woman drifted over to his side and trailed a finger along his neck, "You'll get the hang of things. Here, let me help with all that tension."

Mitsu pulled herself out of the water to sit on the tub's edge. She searched the floor below for the new cherry blossom body oil she bought then dabbed some on her palms. After rubbing the palms to warm the oil, she pressed her hand onto Izumo's shoulders and rounded her thumbs just under his neck.

She smiled as a moan rumbled from the man in front of her, "Is this feeling okay? I'm not hitting a nerve or anything?"

"The only way you'd touch a nerve," grunted Izumo as his head fell forward with hair falling over his eyes, "Is if you dare stop."

Mitsu giggled as she moved her hands along either side of his shoulders, keeping up the pressure and rhythm of the circles. She pressed on the shoulder joints before sliding her hands down his back. The burgundy-haired woman gazed longingly at the delicious body lounging in front of her, licking her lips while her fingers rubbed against his skin. Her hands could feel his strong muscles flexing and moving in unison with her motions and it was affecting her. Lightly blushing, Mitsu had to shake away the swirls in her eyes before her vision became too fuzzy.

From behind his curtain of dark hair, Izumo slyly watched his fiancè's reflection from a large mirror on the wall opposite of them.

"Hey," he whispered as he straightened back up, "How about you have a turn?"

Secretly relieved, Mitsu shrugged and slid back into the water, "Sure!"

Swimming to sit in front of him, she happily sighed while his strong hands kneaded and pressed along her neck and shoulders. Izumo waited until Mitsu was fully relaxed and a naive smile graced her lips. Smirking mischievously, his hands began to wander beyond her shoulders, rubbing down her back then pulling her hips into his growing length. A soft gasp escaped her lips, when his hands trailed past her stomach then dipped into her burgundy-curled slit.

Izumo's own breath hitch as he felt her blissfully writhe against his hands and instinctively grind the small of her back into his erection. The burgundy beauty's eyes were now too mottled for her to see the mirror across from them, but Izumo had a fantastic view of his fiancè's face going through the stages of ecstasy

Leaning back into his chest, Her head would roll from side to side against his shoulder while biting her lower lip with a soft whine. Occasionally, he would gently kiss a shoulder or nibble on an ear, causing her unseeing eyes to open in half-lidded lust. Oh, he loved watching her ruby eyes swirl with violent red clouds. Izumo decided he wanted to keep those bewitching peepers open. So every time her lashes lowered to cover the pupils, he would lightly bite down on the crook of her neck, causing them to instinctively open again.

Growling his own arousal, Izumo pushed one hand further into her while the other sped up the massage on Mitsu's clit. The chuunin kept his eyes on their reflections as he watched, felt, and heard her reach the peak of her passion under his sensual ministrations.

"OH IZUMO," her voice filled the air as the woman trembled and shook in his tight embrace.

Quickly Izumo lifted Mitsu to the other end of the tub and placed her face forward over the edge. His body burned with yearning as he pushed himself inside her womb and the couple's moans echoed throughout the bathroom.

Izumo continued to drive himself faster inside his fiancè, not caring if water or bubbles were splashing over the side and onto the floor. It was not long, before he felt Mitsu's inner walls start to divinely contract and squeeze all around his length.

"KAMI-SAMA!" Hands gripping her lower body tightly, he let loose his seed deep while Mitsu shuddered through her second climax.

Gasping for air, Izumo pulled out of Mitsu and fell backwards, letting the hot water envelope him in the afterglow. Still quite dizzy, Mitsu crawled off the edging and slid back into the bubbles. Her fingers trailed along the tub controls and hit the button that turned on the jacuzzi jets.

"Wow," Izumo jumped a little when a gush of forceful water hit him right in the back, "Oh ho ho ho, that is nice!"

The burgundy beauty giggled as she snuggled under one of his arms, "I thought you might like that." She gave him a soft kiss then wrapped her arms around his waist. Soon her vision returned and she was able to focus properly. Her ruby eyes wandered the bathroom until she found the clock on the wall. It was getting late, but neither one was in a hurry to head to bed. Then Mitsu's eyes honed in on a small box with the kanji "Tsunade" written on it.

'Oh yeah,' she thought, 'Did I take one today? I don't remember.' She tried to dredge up memories of taking the pill this morning, but her brain refused to work after such a long and pleasurable evening.

She shrugged nonchalantly, "Eh, I probably took it."

Sleepily, Izumo glanced down at Mitsu, "What was that?"

"It's nothing important."

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Dark clouds sailed across the sky and over a slumbering Konohakagure. The Uchiha clan cemetery rested in its usual state of disquiet, with even the crickets avoiding the eerie graveyard. A heavy rumbling disturbed a dust covered catacomb, as a wall slid open to one side, revealing a grimy and barely lit tunnel.

Kabuto was quick to extinguish the oil lantern hanging on the wall. The last thing they wanted was to bring ANBU on their asses.

He calmly stepped out of the secret tunnel and walked through the catacomb, with an impassive Sasuke following behind.

"It's been a while since you've been here. Do you wish to spend a moment honoring the dead," murmured the young medic nin with sly smile.

The Uchiha scowled as he brushed past Orochimaru's number one fan boy, "Kiss my ass, lickspittle. Just stick to that plan you're so proud of."

The silver-haired young man gave Sasuke a smirk before lifting his hands in a henge seal. A puff of smoke later, a forty year old man dressed in a simple black yukata grinned as he happily waved at the Brat.

"I think I'll check in at the Konoha Hotel," He threw on his backpack while walking among the headstones, "I hear they've done some remodeling."

Sasuke rolled his onyx eyes at Kabuto's disappearing form, "You go have fun, Toady." He jumped out of the cemetery then slunk into the shadows of the Uchiha district.

"I have better leads to work with." He walked down the street for the home two doors down from his own.

The house was still a filthy mess and the flowers the woman had left had wilted into a dry shriveled pile. His feet kicked up dirt as he wandered around the abandoned home. Desks, drawers, even beds were upturned as Sasuke searched for any clues. The young man was about to give up, when he found what he needed on inside a nightstand in a guest bedroom.

Sasuke untied an old scroll and opened it up to find a letter describing a man's travels in a new land... along with a woman's name. The letter was to be a formal announcement of the couple's marriage and impending birth of a child. A photograph of the bride and groom was stuck at the very end of the scroll, confirming what he already suspected. Now all he had to do, was find where the Hokage was hiding the little girl.

Smirking, Sasuke rolled the scroll back up and tucked it within his clothes, "Welcome to the Uchiha Clan, Mitsu and Kana."

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

As daylight broke over the horizon, Deidara directed the clay bird to land in a clearing by a river. The Iwa-nin dumped Tobi's snoring figure on to the bank with disgust. Still on guard, he squatted near the water and took a moment to wash off the dirt and blood from his hands. Feeling the hairs on the back of his neck bristle, he lifted his head to focus the scope over his eye and scrutinized the beachhead across the river. With a smirk, the blond man waved at the dark shadows barely shifting in the treetops.

"That's very unprofessional. You were taken off this assignment, yeah," Deidara stood back up and crossed his arms, "Gotta learn to let these things go."

Two black and red figures slipped out of the darkness then stalked across the water to stand in front of their fellow Akatsuki.

Kisame sneered with his shark-like teeth peeking from his blue lips, "That's pretty brave coming from a yellow dog hiding it's tail between it's legs. If you're still heading to Konoha, then you're going at it ass-backwards."

Deidara frowned as he lifted a purple fingernail to the fishy freak's face, "Look here, Hoshigaki! Everything was going fine-"

The pyro-nin was interrupted by a hyperactive Tobi, who was dead to the world one second then bouncing in all directions the next, "Deidara-Senpai! Deidara-Senpai! Where is the Kyuubi? Tobi did his job. Tobi was a good boy!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the embarrassed blond man, "Yes, Deidara-san. If everything was fine, where is the Kyuubi?"

Put on the spot, the shinobi straightened his robe and cleared his throat, "Yeah, there were some unforeseen events..."

"Do you mean the Big Doggy and all those ANBU joining all the fun," said Tobi as he plopped on the ground to shake a pebble out of his shoe, "We could've taken them, Senpai! Especially those two pretty kunoichi..."

Deidara scowled at his partner and knocked a fist on the baka's head, "Can you just shut the hell up for just one minute, yeah!"

"Uh oh," cackled Kisame as he walked around the blond man then leaned into a boulder, "Deidara-kun got distracted again. Surely you can leave the ladies alone for one night, boy!"

The Iwa-nin dug his hand into his clay pouch and was about to tell Kisame where to shove his over-sized butter knife, when the Uchiha stepped between him and the grinning Mist shinobi.

"Apparently, even this assignment was more than you expected, Deidara-san," said Itachi with his red eyes glaring back at the other Akatsuki, "Perhaps together we could fulfill the surveillance portion of the mission. Leader-sama should not be too displeased with that."

The blond man winced as he got his temper back under control, "Hai. I have to agree, Uchiha. The skies will be watched now, so we should head in by foot."

"Yatta! We're going back!" Tobi hopped up and danced excitedly until Deidara snuck clay ants into his partner's pants, "S-Senpai?" Tobi was forced to dance a jig as the ants crawled and bit underneath the guy's clothes.

The fun really started when Deidara started detonating the tiny clay creatures, "Katsu!"

"YIPE! EEP! ACK!"

While Deidara and Tobi were busy entertaining themselves, Kisame pulled Itachi aside and gave his partner a serious look.

"Alright, I've been game since the last meeting with Leader-sama, but I need to know what going on. Why are we really going to Konoha?"

Ignoring the frown on Kisame's face, Itachi coolly turned and walked away, "There's something I want to see in Konoha."

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After classes let out for the day, the academy playground was filled with young kunoichi waiting for the Genjutsu Workshop to start. Konohamaru and Udon yawned in boredom as they waited under a tree for their teammate, Megumi, who was excitedly chatting with her former classmates.

Their sensei, Ebisu fiddled with his specs while he leaned against a tree, "This workshop invitation better be worth it. We should be finishing that mission."

"Ah, that cat could take a flying leap off a cliff," growled Konohamaru as he laid himself down on the soft grass, "It's not like it's going to die on us."

Udon sniffed on his sleeve, "We should be so lucky."

Kurenai, Anko, Ino and Sakura came strolling though the gates and met up with Mitsu, who was just setting foot out the building with Kana and Hanabi.

"Hi, girls! Quite a turnout, huh? Kana-chan, Hanabi-chan go ahead and join the others," The burgundy kunoichi waved a hand at the small crowd of about forty young kunoichi then gestured for the older women to follow, "How about each of you take a team of seven or eight. Then we'll start out by teaching them the Vine Capture Jutsu."

Mitsu loudly clapped her hands to get the students' attention, "Welcome, kunoichi, to this afternoon's Genjutsu Workshop. Please fall in and wait for the Team Leaders to guide you to your appropriate group."

Kurenai and Anko split the older genin between themselves while Mitsu, Sakura and Ino took the academy girls. It took over an hour but the young kunoichi were, at the very least, able to summon vines to immobilize their opponents' feet.

Then the girls practiced the standard Hell Viewing and False Surrounding Techniques until their Team Leaders deemed all had made significant progress.

Kana and Hanabi had been placed in Sakura's team and were very impressed with the medic-nin's genjutsu and patient teaching skills.

"Neji-neesan, really picked a good one," the young Hyuuga girl thought out loud, "I'll be sure to tell the Hyuuga Elders."

Kana peered at her friend from one side, "The Hyuuga Elders? Not that Neji-san would pick a loser, but why should they care who he dates?"

Hanabi shrugged indifferently, "They just do. It is their job.. their function in life." The ten year old rolled her pearl eyes in shared annoyance.

"Function," sniffed the Uchiha girl, "Tell me, does everyone in the clan always kowtow to the Elders?"

Kana shivered as she saw Hanabi nod sullenly, "Wow, that's certainly something to think about." The midnight-haired little girl was silently thanking the deities that Izumo got his act together so quickly. Kana was now pretty sure that living in the Hyuuga household would have been harsher then she was used to.

"Alright, kunoichi," shouted Mitsu from one side of the yard, "Everyone is doing a great job. We will now work on two of my clan's genjutsu, the Empty Mind Affect and the Captivate Mind Affect or as I like to call them, Wallflower and Diva! Team Leaders to me, please!"

Mitsu quickly showed the other leaders the proper hand signs then sent them back to their teams. When each team had properly memorized the Empty Mind jutsu, Mitsu called them to all line up at the entrance to the academy building.

"Everyone lined up? Fine," the burgundy kunoichi gestured for the girls to stay put while she scouted ahead. Activating the Empty Mind Affect, Mitsu walked down the hall and into the Teacher's Lounge to find Umino Iruka working hard at grading more papers.

She walked up behind him waved her hands to the side of his face and even in front before deeming him ready for the exercise.

Hurrying back, Mitsu made sure there were no other teachers on the floor and slipped back outside to release the affect.

She raised a hand to make sure she had everyone's attention, "Now what you're gonna do is activate the jutsu, walk into the Teacher's Lounge where Iruka-sensei is sitting, and wave at him. You don't have to wave in front of him. Only if you're feeling sure about yourself. Anko-sensei will stand at the Lounge door to strengthen your jutsu should he break it. Then when you're done walk out the other side where the other Team Leaders will start teaching you the Captivate Mind Affect."

Mitsu looked down the line, "Does everyone got it? Okay then, begin."

One by one the girls walked down the hall, waved to an oblivious Iruka, then headed out the door.

Anko stood guard, but as always, grew bored when the chuunin never woke from the little girls' jutsu. In between students, the jounin snuck up behind the hard working chuunin and gave his ear a hard flick or moved his red pen to under the table, where he had to crawl around to find it. Eventually, the snake kunoichi managed to swipe some rubber bands, along with paper for spit wads, but her plans were quickly foiled when a fuming Mitsu grabbed her friend by the arm and dragged her out the door.

"Tch, I was having fun," whined Anko as Mitsu crossed her arms and glared angrily.

The burgundy kunoichi sighed and pointed to the Academy gate, "Why don't you go on an errand. We're going to need music and a boom box anyways."

Anko perked up immediately, "Great! What kind of music do you want?"

"Ummm, something attention grabbing. I don't call this the Diva for nothing, you know."

The jounin gave a short salute, "You got it!" Then she blurred away and headed for her apartment. It didn't take long for her to find some good music, but she was going to have to buy a boom box.

Anko shrugged as she ran out the door, "I'll just send the bill to Tsunade-sama. That should properly qualify as an expense!"

Rounding the corner to an electronics shop, the jounin ran into Kotetsu and Izumo just as they left a food stand.

"Hey, guys," she gave them a wave, "Whatcha doin'?"

Kotetsu quickly hid the dango behind his back, but was too late when Anko hungrily circled around him.

"Oooh, my favorite," she grinned at her boyfriend, who sighed and lifted the stick for her to munch on. The snake kunoichi smirked as she ignored the sweet treat and dove for something better.

Izumo rolled his eyes when Anko happily frenched his teammate into a lustful stupor.

Backing away, the jounin looked into Kotetsu's glazed eyes, "That's just how I prefer my dango." Then she took off to buy a boom box.

By the time Anko made it back, all the students had finished the first exercise and were now learning the second set of signs. Kurenai was setting up a sign next to a line she had drawn in the dirt, while Mitsu and the others wandered over to see what the jounin brought for the next phase.

Sakura walked up from behind Ino, "Is that what I think it is?" An evil grin spread across her blond friend's face as she nodded mischievously.

"This is gonna be so much fun," Anko waved the cd in the air then set it in the boom box, "I love this song! It's so Pro-Girl!"

Mitsu looked over the cd case then her eyes popped out, "A little too Pro-Girl! What will the parents think when they hear about this? I might get the sack if there's complaints."

Kurenai scoffed, "They can't fire what they get for free. To tell you the truth, I don't see why not. Ladies' Night at The Razor Leaf wasn't so different."

"Except for the teeny-bopper jail bait!" The burgundy kunoichi waved the t.A.T.u case under Kurenai's nose.

The snake kunoichi stretched out her arms in self-defense, "Hey, you wanted music to generate interest and you got it!"

Mitsu's shoulders slumped and she sighed deeply. It was her own fault really and she had no choice. She was the one who instructed Anko to bring the music. The woman crossed her fingers and hoped the other teachers were unfamiliar with the duo.

When the burgundy kunoichi walked back to the students, Anko waved the other Team Leaders into a huddle.

"Hey," whispered Anko with an evil grin, "If Mitsu wants some real attention grabbing, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery..."

"Pay attention, kunoichi," shouted Mitsu as she clapped her hands, "It's time to start! Set up your jutsu and bring in the targets!"

"Hai, Mitsu-sensei," nodded all the kunoichi and ran through their hand signs. They all nervously looked around while patiently waiting for the Team Leaders to return.

The four older women had huge grins on their faces as they winked behind the burgundy kunoichi's back.

Walking around the different groups, Mitsu inspected the girls and she could feel the growing amount of chakra used to fuel the luring affect.

'It shouldn't be much longer before an audience gathers,' she looked over at Kurenai's sign and the line the brunette drew in the ground, 'Let's just hope Iruka-san doesn't go off the deep end.'

"Remember, ladies," she barked out, "We need to keep their attention in order to pull this off. I don't care if you have to do handstands or the middle-finger salute in their faces. As long as you give your clones enough time to finish their job!"

Needless to say any of the teachers who stayed to finish grading papers, wandered out of their classrooms with a strange compulsion to go outside. Across the street, the mind area affect brought several people peeking curiously through the academy gateway. It was no surprise that one of the first people there was the Pervy Toad Sage, leaning against the wall with a curious look on his face.

Mitsu paced a few meters away from the growing crowd and started counting heads, "Damn, not enough! Team Leaders could you please join the others in the jutsu to increase range?"

The women nodded as they went through the flurry of hand signs. Mitsu joined in the jutsu as well, pushing the area affect even further. Pretty soon, shinobi that happened to be walking two or three streets away had the strongest urgency to see their old Ninja Academy.

Team Eight had finished with training and already dropped Hinata off at her home. As they made their way to Ichiraku's, Shino and Kiba happened to see the growing crowd at the school grounds. For the most part the jutsu had little affect on them, but they shrugged in silent agreement and wandered over.

Soon even Shikamaru, Chouji, and Asuma met up with Kakashi, Yamato, Sai, and Naruto exchanging slightly embarrassed glances.

"So, do you guys know why we're all here," mumbled an irritated Shikamaru.

"That's a good question. I just wish I cared," sighed Kakashi then pulled out his little blue book. There were much more interesting females in his Icha Icha than that strange group of girls beyond the line. The Copy Nin got felt a tap on his shoulder and absent-absentmindedly brushed away Genma's hand.

"I don't know so stop asking!"

Genma turned to the newly arrived Team Gai and shrugged his ignorance as well, "Hey, it's Kamizuki's lady whose organizing this shindig. Go ask him."

Neji frowned at Genma's statement, but thought it better to let sleeping dogs lie. Hiashi-sama was already in a foul mood from last night's meeting and this young Hyuuga wanted be to a good distance away when his uncle got the news. Neji did however spare a glower in the damn Chuunin's direction when he and his teammate strolled through the academy gates.

Both sporting confused expressions, they headed for the playground and stopped at the dirt line to read the sign.

"Genjutsu Workshop In Progress! Please Do Not Cross The Line! THAT MEANS ALL OF YOU!"

"What do you think, Iruka," asked Kotetsu while Izumo tried to get his busy fiancè's attention.

The chuunin shrugged as he looked over at his students, "I don't know. Let's see what happens."

High among the rooftop shadows, four Akatsuki shinobi landed on a building across the street with a full view of the school grounds.

"Well, there's the Kyuubi," sniffed Kisame, "But it's in the middle of that freakin' crowd. Now what?"

Deidara shrugged then leaned down to focus his scope on Naruto, "This mostly is a surveillance mission, yeah. We just need to be patient."

Mitsu quickly scanned the area, did a double take to see Izumo waving at her, then continued to count heads. Nodding in satisfaction, she then turned the boom box on and set the volume as high as it would go. The techno song blasted throughout the playground followed by a young girl's voice singing.

_"Not gonna get us. They're not gonna get us."_

_"Not gonna get us. Not gonna get us."_

Anko and Kurenai got the ball rolling by grinding their hips to the fast-paced tempo, while Ino and Sakura blissfully bounced, swinging their arms freely. All the young girls glanced at each other in embarrassment, until they saw their Team Leaders dancing to the song. The older genin jumped in right away after that, raising their fists in the air or bumping their hips together.

"Come on, girls," encouraged Ino, "You're extra credit grades depend on this!" The flaxen beauty grabbed a random girl and began to spun her in a circle. The other little ones tentatively bopped to the music until they stated feeling more comfortable in the frolicking.

Kana sneered at her best friend, who was too scared to move in any way that resembled dancing in front of her stone-faced cousin, "Not so tough now, eh Hyuuga. But I can fix that!" The smirking eight-year old clasped the older girl's body in her arms, stuck their hands out to one side, and pressed their cheeks together.

Too shocked to protest, Hanabi let Kana lead her straight to the dirt line, spin her out, draw her back in, then tango her back to the rest of the kunoichi.

Neji's mask broke into a grin for a second as he watched his blushing little cousin dance with Kana, 'Well, Hiashi-sama did order her to attend. Hyuugas must do their best to excel in everything!"

After helping several other girls get started with their distractions, Mitsu sashayed up to her daughter and Hanabi, leading them in twisting and turning to the rhythm. Then all three did a couple flips, which got a loud response due to the flash of Mitsu's red bikini and kunai holster from underneath her black skirt.

Among the assembly, henged Kabuto scrutinized the academy students and immediately honed in a little girl that looked amazingly like the Uchiha Brat, but with a striking abnormality.

'A smile,' mused the henged young man, 'I thought Uchihas were born permanently emo. Speaking of which...' Kabuto's eyes cautiously shifted to the top of the building across the street.

'Damn, I didn't think they'd get the news so soon. We're going to need to re-work the plan.' He slowly backed out of the crowd and slipped into the shadows before the eldest Uchiha saw through his disguise.

-------------------------------------------------------

Up on the rooftop, the four Akatsuki waited for the Kyuubi Jinchuriki to be on the move again. Their attention deviated to what the blond boy was so eagerly watching.

The group of young girls were being led by older kunoichi in what seemed to be a strange exercise program, complete with puerile techno pop blaring in the background.

_"We'll run away, keep everything simple. Night will come down, our guardian angel."_

_"We rush ahead, the crossroads are empty. Our spirits rise, they're not gonna get us."_

There was one particular little girl, who was following the head instructor perfectly. It was almost as if the midnight-haired girl could read the older woman's movements. Curious, Deidara used his eye scope to get a close up of the child. His camera snapped several times as he zoomed in on the girl's eyes.

"Hmmm, Itachi-san?"

The Uchiha ignored Deidara and kept watching the strange child, who resembled another eight year old Uchiha from long ago.

The blond missing-nin tilted his head in confusion and tried again, "Itachi-san, why does that little miss have red pupils with black tomoe, yeah?"

The three men glanced at Itachi. Then they stared at Kana, who was pulling off more complicated steps with her mother. Heads swiveled back to an deadpanned, but irritated Itachi.

Tobi hopped around and pointed below, "Hey! Hey, Itachi-san, it's an itty bitty you in pigtails! How'd that happen?"

Huge grins grew on the other two's faces as they saw that the all powerful Uchiha Itachi had no explanation. In all their years of working together, there was very little dirt to tease the Uchiha with. So they were not going to let an opportunity like this fly by.

"You know, three years ago," Kisame haughtily brought a hand to his chin, "I was under the assumption that you, Itachi, were the last of your clan. All of them were supposed to be slaughtered by you. Then we come across your brother. What was his name again?"

"Sasuke, yeah," helped Deidara with a smile.

Kisame snapped his fingers, "That's right! Sasuke! Your little brother, spittin' image of you, comes along, rearin' to kick your ass. NOW, we stumble across a Sharingan powderpuff strutting her stuff in Konoha. Tell me... did you skip a math class or something, because you seem to be bad with numbers."

"Or maybe he should have hit an optometrist before committing mass murder, yeah," chuckled the Iwa-nin.

"Oh Tobi knows," the orange mask hopped around, "Maybe Itachi-san's Dad was creepin' around. Kept some geisha on the side and then oops!"

The eldest Uchiha's eye twitched ever so slightly.

"Heh," Diedara snickered with a twinkle in his exposed blue eye, "That might be enough to send a boy bezonkers, yeah."

The three Akatsuki broke into laughter, but two seconds later found themselves doubled over in pain and unable to breathe from nearly invisible kicks to their stomachs.

"Shut it. That Senin is down there. Need I say more?" Itachi returned to observing Kana intently. Sasuke had activated his Sharingan after graduating from the Academy. This little one managed to pull it off at about the same age he did.

'Hmmm, I wonder.'

--------------------------------------------------

As the kunoichi kept the crowd's attention, over forty henged clones of the entire class snuck up on their targets from behind.

Feeling the occasionally clumsy presence from behind, Kakashi raised a warning finger to a chagrined clone, "Not here, you're not," followed by, "Their boxers and don't you dare touch 'em."

Shino also noticed the scheming right away, but they all steered clear of him. Apparently, the older kunoichi warned the girls about the young bugmaster's genjutsu immunity. Kiba, on the other hand, was on his own.

As the song neared it's end, Ino and Sakura kept an alert watch on Kurenai for her signal. The snake kunoichi had grabbed the burgundy woman's hand and they did a repeat performance from Ladies' Night. When Anko finished positioning Mitsu near the dirt line, specifically by Izumo and Kotetsu, Kurenai nodded to the two younger girls.

The two coy kunoichi made sure to keep eye contact with Neji and Shino as they danced closer together. Then the pinkette pulled Ino into an intimate embrace then dipped the buxom blond for a nice long smackaroo.

Eyebrows raised to the hilt, Neji and Shino were unable to keep straight faces as blood trailed from their noses. Guys around them were either clapping or laughing, but all were eating up Ino and Sakura's passionate kissing.

"Nice," leered Kiba as he nodded slyly then gave Shino a punch in the shoulder.

Mitsu, on the other hand, was frozen in shock and on the verge of a breakdown, "Oh, I am so fire-aaarrah." She was unable to finish her sentence due to Anko spinning her around and jumping on the burgundy kunoichi in an open mouth kiss.

The entire crowd broke into huge roar of approval, most of all their two beaus with front row seats. Ino and Sakura excitedly broke from their kiss to watch Anko slowly dip Mitsu while macking on her friend's face.

"AH YES," shouted Kotetsu in a lusty voice as he watched his girlfriend still going, "I have been dying to see that since The Razor Leaf!"

Izumo howled like a dog and bent at the knees as he savored the up close show of Anko and Mitsu's make out session.

Well, Anko was doing all the making out. Mitsu's red eyes were bugging out of her head with arms flapping faster than a hummingbird on speed. After a minute, the pony-tailed kunoichi let her struggling friend drop to the ground then took a well-deserved curtsy to the appreciative audience.

"What can I say," she proudly put a hand on a hip and gestured to the boom box, "I felt inspired!"

Still lying on her back, Mitsu wiped at her spittle-covered lips, "Damn Anko! Could've given me some warning! Or at least, use some mouthwash. Oh, nasty."

Then she repeatedly smacked her lips as she tried to figure out the oddly sweet flavor in her mouth, "What? What is that? It tastes almost like..." her ruby eyes wandered from a smirking Anko over to Kotetsu, who wiggled his eyebrows and happily waved a stick of dango in his hand.

"OH MY GOD!"

"Aw, come on," Kotestu called out after the woman scrambling backwards in the dirt, "It wouldn't have been that bad!"

Cracking up, Izumo high-fived his teammate then pointed to Mitsu, who was pulling herself up while trying to hide her face, "Oh look, NOW she's blushing!"

Her cheeks heating up a further hundred degrees, the burgundy beauty quickly retreated to the playground water fountain to wash her mouth out.

When she finished downing as much water as she could stand, Mitsu returned to the hooting and whistling crowds. The grin covering Iruka's face told the nervous kunoichi that firing her was the last thing on the instructor's mind.

"Yeah, yeah, fun was had by all," she said wryly and held her hands high, "And so this concludes this portion of our workshop. You've been a great audience and thank you for being such good sports."

"Ahem," Mitsu turned to her class, "You may release your jutsu now, girls."

All the students brought their hands up in a release sign, "Kai!"

It was as if a thin veil lifted over the crowd's eyes and their brains finally recognized something was different.

Coughing, Mitsu waved a hand at Umino, "Iruka-san, you might need some help with your back." This time she was the one giggling as she hurried back to the girls before her superior blew his stack.

All eyes zoomed in on the massive number of tags attached to Iruka's back. Several guys, including the other instructors started to chuckle at the human message board standing next to them.

Confused, Iruka reached over his shoulder and pulled a random note, "What in the world is this?" As his eyes scanned over the paper, the blood drained from his face.

"What's it say, Iruka," teased a grinning Kakashi, who knew damn well what most of those notes said.

"N-nothing! It says absolutely nothing," stuttered the chuunin as he wondered just how secure his own job was.

Yamato pulled a couple notes from Iruka's ass, "This one says, 'My Sensei is H-O-T' and this note has, 'I'm in love with my Sensei!' I don't think parents are gonna trust you for a while."

"Wow, Iruka," smirked Genma as he twirled his senbon, "Who knew you could acquire a fan club just by disciplining girls. Oops, maybe I said too much!"

Spinning around angrily, Iruka was about ready to send the shinobi head first into the wall when he saw Genma's signature headscarf, "Is that another new kink you got going on?"

Genma followed Iruka's finger and lifted a hand to find a senbon stuck in the front knot with a blown up condom tied to the end, "Tch! And that was a perfectly good rubber too!"

Everyone started inspecting each other for anything else of the ordinary. Several other academy instructors got a couple of "Smexy Sensei" love notes, which they were quick to be rid of with exploding tags.

Off in their little corner in the shade, the Konohamaru Corp reached over their shoulders and read aloud the notes.

Udon squinted as he adjusted his glasses, "Got Tissue? Why would I need tissue?"

Konohamaru rolled his eyes and read his, "Mine says, 'Kiss me quick' What the heck?" Just as he finished reading, Megumi appeared right beside him and gave the startled boy a kiss on the cheek.

"Just doing what the sign says, Konohamaru-chan!" Then she happily skipped back to the rest of the class.

Ebisu huffed as he walked away from the school grounds, "What utter nonsense! I fail to see how this exercise would improve my student. Let's go, boys!"

"But..."

"I said, let's go! Megumi can catch up with us later."

Konohamaru and Udon shrugged at each other as they followed their sensei, whose pants had long vertical slices from the butt cheeks to the thighs.

"I can't believe you did that to Ebisu," snickered Kurenai as she watched the man walk away, "He's going to be so pissed when he finds out it was you."

Anko sniffed as she leaned against a wall, "Pfft! Like I care!"

Gai and Lee fell over from the trip wire tied around their ankles, while Shikamaru and Chouji found red bullseyes painted on the back of their uniforms. Asuma chuckled at his students' misfortune until he found the cigarette he had just lit had been snipped down to the filter.

"Shit."

Kotetsu and Izumo nervously checked themselves over then sighed in relief when nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Izumo did lift a note from his back and smiled to find Mitsu's handwriting, "Hands off, girls... I control your grade!"

"Hah, that's what probably saved you," sneered Kotetsu, "Apparently, I seem to be untouched too."

Izumo winced as he circled a finger gesturing for his teammate to turn around. The entire back of Kotetsu's grey jacket had been carefully sliced with a huge hole in the shape of a heart.

"Oh man!"

Picking himself off the ground, Lee looked up at Neji's back and let out a merry laugh, "My Eternal Rival, I believe someone has played a prank on you as well." Lee tugged on the back of Neji's shirt.

The young Hyuuga pulled off his shirt and turned it around. "Whipped" was written in bright pink letters. His angry pearl eyes searched out the scared pinkette, who raised her hands and shook her head furiously. If he had not activated his Byakugan at Sakura, Neji would have missed seeing Hanabi quickly throwing a marker into the bushes then casually stroll away.

"HN!"

Just then several shinobi started hopping up and down in pain, grasping where exploding tags had been rolled into their open-toed sandals.

Naruto was among the first to drop, "OW! What the hell? Who gave me a Hot Foot?"

Crossing her arms, Kana turned from her team and shouted at Naruto, "I'll give you three guesses. The first two don't count!"

Growling, Naruto stood back up and pointed to Sai, "Oi! That's not fair! You've got to be the rudest guy in Konoha. How come you didn't get pranked?"

The artist shifted his legs in an experimental manner, "Who says I didn't, Dickless. Ugly, where is my underwear?"

The pinkette grinned as she pointed to the top of the flagpole, where Sai's shredded black speedo was swinging at the tip.

"Ah, thank you."

Kiba had to stop laughing at the others when his nose tickled from an unfamiliar, but pleasant powder scent wafting around him, "Huh? What is this?" He picked at a strange white plastic band that had been placed around his neck.

"I believe it's called a flea collar, Kiba," said Shino as his beetles complained about their headaches. The bugmaster calmly stepped upwind as he watched his teammate rip off the wretched collar and thoroughly stomp it into the ground.

Part of the crowd dispersed on their own, but some shinobi stayed to see if there was any more fun shows coming up, especially one horny Toad Sage. Mitsu led the kunoichi in the last exercise in forcing the Empty Mind Affect on the interested shinobi, but the strain began to show among the youngest girls.

Sighing at the stubborn men, Mitsu walked up to small group and gave them an apologetic smile, "It's really flattering that you guys want to stay, but the little ones are starting to get headaches sooo..." She stuck her thumb at the Academy gateway

Izumo and Kotetsu got the message right away and directed the last of the crowd out the gate.

"See you tonight then," asked her fiancè as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. All the young girls listened in on their teacher and giggles filled the air when Izumo openly flirted with the burgundy kunoichi.

Blushing from her students' teasing and jeers, Mitsu glanced in Izumo's twinkling eyes as she absentmindedly rubbed one arm, "Yeah, Izumo-kun. I'll see you tonight."

"We need to head back to the tower anyways," Kotetsu threw his ruined jacket over his arm and followed his teammate towards the gateway, "The Hokage's got to be wondering where we are."

With a slightly dreamy look on her face, Mitsu waved farewell until her view was blocked by a tall white haired man with red streaks down his face, "Sir?"

Jiraiya slicked back his white spiky hair and gave the cowering woman a wink, "Please, Mitsu-chan, call me Jiraiya."

"JIRAIYA!"

"Awww," The Senin whined as Izumo and Kotetsu picked the old man up from either side and carried him out the gateway, "I was just havin' a little fun."

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Hiashi had been sitting in his office all day, writing letter after letter, trying to privately convince each of the Elders of Hinata's vast improvements for the last three years. But under his calm exterior, he was still boiling from the clan meeting the night before. It was as if the gathering was a mere formality and that discussing Hinata's position was pointless. Hiashi and Neji tried everything to change the Elders' minds, but the old fools refused to listen to reason.

Even when the Hokage herself attended to speak on behalf of Hinata, the Elders ignored the fifteen year old's shinobi and medical files. It did not matter how skilled she was now or that she was not carrying the Kyuubi Vessel's offspring. Hinata was a late blooming female that had dishonored the Hyuuga name and had no business being Clan Leader after Hiashi.

Tsunade had stomped out of the room in a violent rampage, but not before giving each of the stubborn asses a piece of her mind. Hiashi was about to do the same when one Elder interrupted him by asking about his progress with Uchiha Mitsu.

He was stunned as to why this question was given. What business was it of theirs of what was happening between him and Mitsu? Then he realized why they were so unyielding with Hinata's indiscretion. It was just convenient that she screwed up. They were betting heavily on Mitsu bearing him a son and somehow were convinced that phantom child would be a more capable leader. Infuriated by their underhanded scheming, Hiashi silently walked out on the scandalized Hyuuga Elders with an equally exasperated Neji at his heels.

Now the Hyuuga Clan Leader was pacing in front of his desk, wondering how he got himself into this mess. Then he heard someone clearing their throat from behind him.

"Pardon me, Hyuuga-sama," Shoda gave Hiashi a bow, "Hanabi-san has returned from the Workshop and has invited some friends for tea."

Hiashi gave the old man a curious look, "Thank you for informing me, but is it necessary to tell me every trivial thing my daughters do?"

"Of course not," chuckled Shoda, "But I thought you should know, Mitsu-san was among those invited."

Hiashi paused as this new information sunk in, "I see. Well, thank you, Shoda-sama. I think I will check to see how Hanabi is doing."

Shoda bowed low then smirked as he watched Hiashi try to regally walk... not run, to the common room where Hanabi would most likely be entertaining the guests.

Mitsu sat in her seat, nervously glancing around the room as her daughter happily conversed with Hanabi, Sakura and Neji. Her senses were flying off the handle again and all she wanted to do was get out before...

"Welcome home, Hanabi, Neji" came a deep voice from the hallway, "It's nice to see you again, Sakura-san, Kana-san."

Mitsu turned her head to look straight into Hiashi's intense pearly eyes, 'Oh no, not again.' The woman tried to get her quickening heart beat to slow down, but her deep breathing only made her feel more light headed.

Giving his nephew and younger daughter slight nods, the Clan Leader then gazed directly at the burgundy beauty, "Good evening, Mitsu."

"G-good evening, Hiashi-san," Mitsu dropped her eyes and took a sip of tea to try to calm her nerves. It wasn't helping. His mere presence was dominating her mind into submissiveness.

Hiashi walked to the table and reached a hand out to Mitsu, "May we speak in private, Mitsu?"

The others stared at the older woman as she silently nodded. It was now or never for the burgundy kunoichi to tell him of her engagement.

"If you'll excuse us, please," said Hiashi as he led a jittery Mitsu away.

Kana frowned as she watched her mother disappear in the maze of the Hyuuga home. The little girl secretly crossed her fingers and hoped yesterday's training would help her mom.

As they walked through the huge estate, Mitsu could feel more eyes scrutinizing her and Hiashi. It was disturbing her how privacy was in such little supply in so noble a household. She tried to keep her mind clear of anymore distractions until they passed a section of the estate that was closed off by bamboo fencing. There were three entrances, each with a sign designating a hot spring pool for men, another pool for women, and...

"The Clan Leader? You get your own hot spring?"

Hiashi smirked as Mitsu gaped in disbelief, "The job does come with perks,"

Then he leaned to her ear, "You may use it anytime you like, Mitsu-chan."

She gulped as sultry images kept appearing in her head, "Uh, thank you. I think?" Backing away from the hot springs, Mitsu practically ran down the walkway, trying to flee one of her all-time weaknesses.

Hiashi slowly followed her, letting her get a few paces ahead so he could watch her hips sway in that delightfully swishing black skirt. With his Byakugan, he could make out her red bikini and the kunai holster wrapped around a thigh only made his peeking more exciting.

When Mitsu reached the end of the hall, the nervous woman spun around as she tried to make sense of where the hell she was. She was biting down on a nail, by the time Hiashi caught up to her.

Smiling, he raised a hand in the correct direction, letting her walk ahead of him again. It was atypical of the formal custom, but Hiashi could care less about her walking behind him. He was really enjoying the lovely backside in front of his piercing gaze.

Then he stopped in front of a seemingly random room, "Mitsu." She turned around to see him slide the door open and wave her inside.

'Okay, that's not a good,' thought the burgundy beauty, 'But then again that may be the only way to get some privacy around here. I'd rather not drop the bomb on him right in the open.' She took a deep breath for courage then walked into the large room. She was relieved to see the room completely devoid of furniture and there was even the smell of fresh paint on some of the walls.

Looking down at her feet, Mitsu wondered how to start this horrible conversation.

Sensing her discomfort, Hiashi walked up to her and grasped her elbow, "What do you think, Mitsu?"

"Excuse me?"

He gestured to the room, "Of the room, it was recently remodeled with you in mind."

Mitsu jumped and pulled her arm out of his as she wandered around to get a good look, "Oh! Wow! It's certainly nice. Big and clean. Oh look!" She ran to the other side of the room to slide a door to reveal the rock garden.

"A rock garden! It looks so orderly... and peaceful... and rock-y." Mitsu wanted to slap herself. She had prepared herself for this so why was she having such a hard time telling him?

'Because breaking the heart of someone you care about is horribly painful,' Mitsu reminded herself as she nervously fidgeted with her engagement ring, 'Come on, girl! You know how important it is to do this!'

Her displaced activity was caught by Hiashi right away and his pearl eyes locked onto the strange ring on her left hand. It was not the smooth gold double-band that once proclaimed her widowhood. It was white single banded ring with a prominently displayed center diamond.

With a grim frown crossing his face, the Hyuuga walked up to her and pulled her hand up to his eyes. Too late, he figured it out. Mitsu winced in total shame as her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Hiashi," she whispered softly, "I'm sorry..." She stopped when his hand lifted to gently caress her cheek. A thumb trailed over her bottom lip, as his eyes filled with pure misery. He wanted to chase those awful words into oblivion, but it would not change a thing. The chuunin had won and he could no longer be in the picture. The honorable thing to do, would be to back off and let her go.

"Congratulations."

Mitsu blinked as her ears could not believe the word she just heard, "Huh?"

"Kamizuki is a very lucky man," Hiashi managed to spit out as he backed away from the woman. He turned to glare at the rock garden, attempting to calm the wrath filling his mind.

She nodded in astonishment, "Thank you." Mitsu watched the man pull into himself until all that was left was the stoic Hyuuga mask she had learned to dread. Something inside her clenched to see him suffering and she instinctively wanted to ease his broken heart.

Walking up to his side, she lifted herself to give his cheek a chaste kiss, but he twisted towards her in surprise, causing their lips to brush together. Both stunned, they just stood there for a few seconds, staring at each other with wide eyes.

"To hell with honor,' he thought as he drew closer to her, 'I am not going to give up so easily. This may be my last chance to change her mind.'

Mitsu backed up as fast as Hiashi closed in on her, 'Baka! Baka! Baka! What the hell were you thinking?' That was the problem. Whenever she was around Hiashi, she couldn't think. Mitsu's back hit the wall behind her and she realized just how trapped she was.

Passion burning through his veins, Hiashi leaned down and crashed his lips onto hers. A blast of intense longing hit the both of them like a thunderbolt, causing a deep dark ghost to rise out of the depths of her mind and urging her to feast furiously on his own hungry kisses. A lustful growl rumbled from Hiashi as he pushed the kiss deeper and faster into Mitsu's mouth with her responding in kind.

When his hands wandered from her waist and pulled up her skirt, the another part of her mind asserted itself in self-defense.

''God damn it, Mitsu! Why aren't you getting the fuck out of here? MOVE!'

Her hands flew up and pushed on Hiashi as hard as she could. She managed to break the kiss, but he still held on to her tightly.

"How," he growled with his forehead touching hers, "How can you continue to deny what's between us? What, _I know_, you can feel between us!"

Mitsu's face scrunched up in agony and distress as she tried to make sense of it herself, "I don't know."

Tears began to fill her ruby eyes as her voice grew louder that everyone in the compound could hear, "I wish, I knew what I truly wanted! I wish, I knew what was going on in my head!"

"I wish," she screamed her frustration in the air, "I wish, I never came to this village!" Activating her body flicker jutsu, Mitsu blurred out of his arms and re-appeared out in front of the Hyuuga gates.

"MITSU!" Hiashi's voice rang out from behind, making the escaping woman panic like the hounds of hell were snapping at her heels.

"YOU!"

Hiashi spun around to see Kana glaring at him with her Sharingan flaring, "What did you do to my mother?!"

This was the last thing the Hyuuga needed. Scowling, he ran out the sliding door and past the rock garden. Kana followed him at a full run and tried to kick him from behind. That worked as well as kicking a katana's edge with the bottom of your bare feet. He did not even need his Byakugan to block the girl's leg and throw her back on the ground.

"FUCK OW!" Kana hopped up and down on her bruised ankle as Hiashi activated his Byakugan and ignored the furious little girl. It was too late. Mitsu had pushed chakra into her feet and sped away before he could get a direction.

Cursing the entire way, Kana limped out the other door and managed to make her way out the Hyuuga gates.

"Kana-chan! Are you alright!"

The eight year old twisted around to see her former sensei running out the courtyard, "Yeah, I am. But my Mom is totally freaking out! She took off running and I don't know where she is?

Running to the middle of the dirt road, Sakura looked over Kana's foot and gave it a quick pass of healing chakra, "Go home and stay there, Kana-chan. I'll go get Izumo and he can help look for your mom."

The pinkette blurred away as Kana rubbed her still sore foot, "To hell with this," growled the little girl, "I'm gonna find her!"

Kana looked at either end of the road, "I could go left or right. The Aburame Clan is to the right. There's a chance they saw her. If not I'll run back this way." She took off at a full run for the Aburame gates.

On the other side of Konoha, Sakura landed on the roof next to the Hokage's window and politely rapped on the glass, "Hokage-sama, I need to speak with Izumo-san. It's about Mitsu-san."

Tsunade took in her apprentice's wide eyed expression and waved her inside, "I just sent him and Kotetsu to pick up some more research books from the library. They should be here soon."

The pinkette winced as she headed for the office doors, "I think I'll try to find them there."

Bouncing from roof to roof, Sakura found the two chuunin strolling down a side street as each carried a stack of books in their arms.

"Izumo-san! Izumo-san," the pink medic-nin dropped to the ground in front of the surprised men, "Mitsu-san needs you!"

Izumo dropped the research books the ground, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Sakura bit her bottom lip as she tried to think of someway to explain the situation to Mitsu's fiancè, "Mitsu-san talked with Hiashi-sama and well... let's say that he wanted to try one more time to convince her to marry him."

Kotetsu cringed as he put his stack of books down, "Those Hyuugas just don't know when to give up."

The pinkette winced as she felt Izumo's chakra skyrocket, "Mitsu-san panicked. Everyone could hear her really freaking out and then she ran off crying. I told Kana-chan to go back home, but I have no idea where Mitsu-san is now."

Izumo, on the other hand, was steaming mad and his fists shook in rage, "What the fuck did Hiashi-teme think he was doing? First chance I get, I'm gonna kill him!"

His teammate placed a hand on the other chuunin's shoulder, "Calm down. It's more important we find Mitsu first."

Izumo took a couple of deep breaths to lower his blood pressure then turned to Sakura, "Alright! Sakura-san, you go keep an eye on Kana-chan. Kotetsu and I will look for Mitsu."

The pinkette nodded and ran down the street. Kotetsu and Izumo disappeared in opposite directions as they bounded over rooftops and through buildings.

"Damn it," Izumo cursed himself as he searched all the training grounds, "I shouldn't have left her alone! I should've been there!"

Back at the residential district, the Aburame guards saw their next door neighbor's little girl waving a hand and running straight for them.

"Aburame-san," she shouted, "Did you see my mother come this way?"

To the little girl's relief, one of the guards nodded, "Hai, Kana-chan. She went further down the road. You can still catch her if you run."

"Arigato, Aburame-san!"

The concerned guards watched Kana dash down the street then disappear among the evening crowd.

It was not long before, Kana recognized a distinctive flash of burgundy from her mother's hair.

"Mom! Mom!" Kana could see Mitsu had stopped running and was now walking in a slight daze. The midnight-haired girl pushed her way past random people and yelled for her mother again.

Mitsu's head snapped around to see Kana running up the road. The burgundy kunoichi tried to wipe as much of the tears from her face as possible, but quickly realized that she was too much of a mess to hide this from anyone.

Kana ran to her mother's waist and hugged the woman with all her might, "Are you okay?"

"Kana-chan," sniffed her mother, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to leave you back there. It's just that my mind is a total mess!"

Kana pulled away from the hug, "I know. I tried to hit Hiashi-teme for you, but the bastard's too fast."

The burgundy kunoichi groaned then shook her head at the little girl, "Kana, don't be so hard on him. It's not all his fault."

"Not from what I heard," grumbled Kana as she crossed her arms, "He never should have done anything to you after you showed him Izumo-kun's ring. Only a grade A jerk hits on a lady he knows is engaged."

Her mother frowned and lifted Kana's chin with one hand, "Only a man that desperately in love would not give up."

The eight year old winced as annoying guilt crept into her mind, "Yeah, well, he's still a jerk," she grumbled with less conviction, "Wouldn't even let me get a proper kick in."

Mitsu gave a tired sigh as she looked around downtown Konoha, "Speaking of proper... Now that I've calmed down, we should head back and give Hyuuga-sama a proper apology."

Kana groaned in frustration at her mother, "Hell! If anyone should be apologizing, it's him! But fine, at least it'll give him a chance to say sorry."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Mitsu turned around then waved for her daughter to catch up. Plodding at a snail's pace, Kana grumbled under her breath as she followed her mother.

Mitsu sighed as she glimpse back at her daughter dragging her feet in the dirt. Admittedly, she was not looking forward to going to the Hyuuga Compound either, but if she kept a safe distance away from Hiashi with plenty of people around, she might make it through this evening.

When Kana fell several paces behind her mother, two intimidating figures in black robes covered in red clouds, dropped from the rooftops and landed in between the shocked girl and woman.

People scattered in different directions as they recognized the Akatsuki cloaks and the alarm went out to the ANBU.

The surprised eight year old's blood ran cold as she looked into the three tomoe pupils of Uchiha Itachi staring down at her. Before Mitsu could react, the eldest Uchiha grabbed Kana around the waist and took off running like a common thief.

Mitsu was in shock for all of two seconds, 'In front of me... She was right in front of me and some prissy pretty boy and blue-skinned freak dared to kidnapped my daughter!' Grabbing her kunai from its holster, Mitsu pushed chakra into her feet and pursued the insolent bakas.

Glancing back at the panicking people in the streets, Kisame was surprised to see a burgundy-haired red-eyed woman keeping pace with them as her voice roared from behind.

"Give... me... back MY BABY!"

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Chapter 17 (Tiny Preview)

"She's dead! She's dead! Mitsu's as good as dead," screamed Izumo as he looked in the direction the citizen had shown them, "And if Itachi wants to have some fun, he'll turn Kana-chan into a fucking vegetable!"

Kotetsu shook his head as he stared at that cursed horizon, "Stupid, stupid woman!"

Trying to keep a clear head, the blue-haired nin turned to his panicking teammate, "We have our orders. The sooner we gather the others, the sooner the Hokage can put together a rescue team. Come on!"

Tobi stretched his arm out as he held the furious eight year old by the scruff of her neck, "Tobi doesn't know if this was such a good idea, Itachi-san." He pulled his arm in and out as Kana attempted to scratch at his mask.

"I know the Hokage personally, you stupid twat, and if you don't put me the fuck down, she'll bitch slap you into the next century."

Kisame whistled at the continued cussing filling the air, "Hello! That one's got quite a vocabulary!"


	17. Chapter 17

I do not own Naruto

I just found out about Tobi's secret and wondered if I was going to have to edit my story. Then I realized everything still works and found myself adding more to the story. Kishimoto is a genius!

Only half as long as the last chapter and no citrus whatsoever. Sorry!

Hope you enjoy and remember, have fun:-)

**Chapter 17**

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With music fading from behind, Kabuto quickly wound his way through downtown Konoha to the meeting place, blending in perfectly with the rushing crowds. When he reached the Uchiha district, he waited patiently for an hour in an alleyway across from the broken down gates. Feeling a silent shadow slip from the rooftop, the henged man crossed his arms calmly.

"You're doing it again," sighed the medic-nin as he turned around to face Sasuke. He dispelled the henge, revealing his normal younger self and wagged a finger at the Brat.

Sasuke merely glowered before replacing his kusanagi back in its sheath, "Did you find anything useful?"

"You might say that," said Kabuto as he looked around the dirty alley, "One little Uchiha girl stands outside the Academy at this very moment. Although, she is surrounded by shinobi, who would think it terribly rude to steal their Sharingan darling."

Glowering, Sasuke melted into the background, "Just lead me to her."

Kabuto returned to his henge form and casually strolled out of the alley. He didn't bother looking to see if the Brat was keeping up. Though masked, his chakra was still detectable, which was a far cry from the Akatsuki seen earlier. If Sasori-sama had not shown him how to look for Deidara, Kabuto would never had felt their presence. The former Akatsuki spy was relieved to feel them gone by the time he made it to the Academy. It was probably because the Workshop had finished and that Naruto was probably heading back home.

The medic-nin kept a careful distance from the Academy gateway, all the while watching Kana playfully banter with Hanabi. After a minute, they were joined by Sakura and Neji, who wanted a few words with his little cousin.

Hiding on the roof, Sasuke's Sharingan eyes took in the sight of the little girl laughing in a carefree way and interacting happily with his former teammate and childhood rival. Would he have turned out the same way with a more attentive father and without a psychotic older brother? He then saw a woman rush from out of the building and wave to greet the others. Sasuke recognized her as the woman from the Uchiha district and watched the kunoichi walk up to the small group, pat Kana on the head, then follow the two Hyuugas out the gate.

"So that's Mitsu," mused the young man, "Heh, too bad... eight years of hiding down the drain." Sasuke watched Kabuto tail the group through the streets, while he shadowed the medic-nin from a safe distance.

Soon the group arrived outside the Hyuuga gates and Kabuto had to keep walking to avoid the wary guards. Sasuke quickly backed up when he realized where the group was headed and lingered one street away, hopefully out of range from that infuriating clan. He did needle his way in and out the neighborhood to keep an eye on Kabuto and was frustrated to find the other forced to keep moving.

Kabuto silently fumed when he had to continue on his way to not raise the Hyuugas' suspicions, 'Hmmm, looks like following them home won't work. Perhaps, we could wait for the change in guard and... damn!' The young medic's frown deepened as he walked up to another estate and passed the Aburame guards, who were also giving him the third degree from behind their dark glasses.

The young man sighed inwardly, 'Re-working the plan, yet again!' He made a left to an adjoining street and backtracked to the home across from the Hyuuga compound. Jumping to the rooftop garden, he found Sasuke hiding within a tool shed.

"If the child resides in the Hyuuga household, we may have to resort to bolder tactics," murmured Kabuto to the listening Sasuke as he crouched on the roof's edge, "Perhaps when she's traveling between school and home or during their lunch period, but then there would be no avoiding the alarm."

Sasuke remained silent as he peered between the wood slats of the shed. So much for sneaking into the target's home and stealing the child away in the night. By the time they made it to the girl's bed, the half the household would be awake and waiting to kick his and Kabuto's ass.

Then they both perked up when the voice of a woman rose through the air. Kabuto saw the woman that they had been following, appear in front of the Hyuuga gates.

"MITSU!"

Both Kabuto and Sasuke blinked in surprise to hear the Hyuuga Leader's voice ring after the burgundy-haired woman, who immediately pushed chakra into her feet and sped down the street. Soon their target came limping out the front courtyard and hopped past the worried guards. Sasuke watched Sakura run up to Kana and heal the girl's ankle, but she also disappeared. Maybe to look for the other woman.

"To hell with this," both young men heard the girl growl, "I'm gonna find her!"

Kana looked at either end of the road, "I could go left or right. The Aburame Clan is to the right. There's a chance they saw her. If not, I'll run back this way." They watched her take off at a full run for the Aburame gates then continue on to disappear among the throng of the evening crowd.

Quirking an eyebrow, Kabuto crept back from the edge and walked past the shed, "How fortuitous. You run ahead and circle back while I'll follow from the rear. With all the people around us, we should be able to catch the girl before anyone realizes she's gone." The henged medic-nin jumped down the building and mixed in with the masses. His eyes focused on the midnight-haired little girl wandering through the multitude and he started to push his way towards her.

From a shaded corner, Itachi and Kisame watched Sasori's former pet jump from the roof perpendicular from their hiding spot.

"Orochimaru's worm is definitely becoming a pest," grumbled the Mist-nin. His hands itched towards Samehada to rid the world of one more annoying medic. Itachi grunted in agreement as they waited for Sasuke to emerge from his hiding.

Oblivious to his older brother's scrutiny, Sasuke henged inside the shed, then rushed along the side street on the far end of the street. The younger Uchiha could barely make out Mitsu's figure walking among the pressing bodies, but he easily slipped around the busy crowd.

"Mom! Mom!" The midnight-haired girl pushed her way past random people and yelled for her mother again.

Sasuke's focus changed when Mitsu's head snapped around and they both saw Kana running up the road. As the two talked, he wandered around to the side of the street, keeping them within range.

When Mitsu and Kana turned to head back to the Hyuuga compound, Sasuke watched Kana dawdle behind her mother in an effort to slow their pace. The young man narrowed his eyes as his steps quickened and a smirk found its way onto his stoic face. All he had to do was distract the mother, then Kabuto could sweep the girl away.

When Kana fell several paces behind her mother, two figures in black robes covered in red clouds, dropped from the rooftops and landed in between the shocked girl and woman. Not believing his eyes, Sasuke saw his older brother grab Kana out of Kabuto's reach then make a run for it.

'What the hell,' Sasuke felt his long-nurtured hatred boil over at the sight of his brother's back running away, 'He was here the entire time and he ignored the fuck out of me, AGAIN!' Then Sasuke realized Itachi had successfully taken off with his intended quarry right under his nose.

"FUCK!" People scattered in different directions around the vexed shinobi and the alarm blew out, causing the henged Sasuke and Kabuto to retreat behind an empty food stand.

When Kabuto reached Sasuke, the young Uchiha grabbed the medic and held a kunai point straight at his throat, "Itachi was here! And you didn't tell me!"

Kabuto pushed the Brat off him and growled back, "I didn't know. But that wouldn't have mattered since your brother was not your mission." Sure, he was lying through his teeth about Itachi, but Kabuto could care less now. His master's prize was just stolen from underneath them and they had to get it back.

The medic-nin watched the little girl's shocked mother stand in the street then take off after the Akatsuki in a fury, "We can still catch up to the girl. Lord Orochimaru will have our hides if we fail to bring him his new body!" Since the alarm was already in full swing, Kabuto and Sasuke dropped their henges and rushed to follow Mitsu.

A set of dark grey eyes hardened as she watched the two traitors chase after her friend. Anko stalked out of the shop she was standing in with her fists clenching in hate.

"Orochimaru," she hissed out while the disappearing figures rushed away, "Why can't you just die!"

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Hidden among the Konoha Park trees, Deidara looked up from his perch where he and Tobi were watching the Kyuubi make out with the Hyuuga girl from the other night. The former Iwa-nin rolled his blue eye as the young woman mewled happily in the Jinchuriki's arms.

'Why me, yeah? Why did Leader-sama send me on this mission? First, Itachi and Kisame ditch me to Kami knows where,' the blond man scowled as he turned to his teammate, who was busy chewing on his toenails, 'Leaving me with the baka, who gives new meaning to the word dumbshit. Then I have to watch a stupid-ass rendition of 'Romeo and Juliet', Konoha style. It's official, yeah...my life sucks!'

Suddenly everyone in the area heard a siren go out, waking the Kyuubi and his girl from their revelry. Deidara turned his head and refocused his scope to where the siren was sounding from. His mechanical eye came across the other two Akatsuki high tailing it out of Downtown Konoha with the Uchiha carrying a strange wiggling bundle under one arm.

"Damn! Tobi, it's time to leave, yeah... AND CUT THAT OUT! God, that's gross!"

Deidara and Tobi flickered out of their hiding place, rising in the air next to Kisame and Itachi as all four bounded over the trees and headed for the Konoha walls. Being careful to avoid the kunai and fire jutsu sent their way from the sentries, the Akatsuki ran up the wall and jumped down the other side to the outer forest.

"Come back here, bastards!"

Turning his head, Deidara did a double take at the sight of a furious woman chasing after the four men. Wasn't it normal for women and children to run the other way when Akatsuki pay a visit?

Also confused, Tobi drew closer to Itachi, who was leading the way out, "Itachi-san? Why is that loud lady following us?"

"It may have to do with Uchiha stealing her daughter," grumbled Kisame as he checked over his shoulder again. Yup, she was still after them. He had to admit she was determined... stupid, but determined.

Deidara leaned in to take a closer look at the struggling little body under Itachi's arm. It was a girl. In fact, it was the same Sharingan child they had seen at the Academy

"Hell of a way to have a family reunion, Uchiha," the Iwa-nin sneered as he glanced back at the angry mother.

Kisame chuckled as Itachi's frown grew deeper, "Oh, you have no idea! What are we gonna do about Big Bad Mama, Itachi?"

Without sparing the burgundy kunoichi a glance, Itachi pushed more chakra into his feet, "Deidara, kill."

Kana blanched when she heard Itachi's command and she stopped struggling to peek around her kidnapper's arm. One of the men running beside the shark man dug his hands into a pouch, slowed down, then turned to attack her mother.

"MOM! LOOK OUT!" The eight year old watched in horror as Deidara opened up his hands and clay sparrows flew out to dive at the annoying woman.

Deidara waited for his creations to get in place around the kunoichi before detonating, "Katsu!"

Seeing the flying objects coming straight for her, Mitsu quickly ran through several hand signs before being engulfed in a cloud of flames. The forest all around the kunoichi turned into a fireball and Deidara could see through the steaming air, her motionless body lying strewn about on the ground. Satisfied with a job well done, he turned back around to join his companions.

Itachi stopped long enough to catch a quick glimpse of the Iwa-nin's handiwork, letting Kana see her mother's gruesome fate. The little girl gasped at the vast destruction one man had caused, then her face fell to see her mother's body consumed by the fire. Kana's heart slowly darkened into the epitome of loathing and contempt. Feeling the child's chakra spike to furious heights, Itachi glanced down at his tiny captive. She had stopped wiggling a while ago, but became stiff and cold to touch. He watched her eyes go from their normal onyx-selves to glowing crimson with one tomoe in each pupil. It was not long before something inside the girl snapped.

"You...you," Kana's voice rose from soft hatred into ear-splitting fury as her body tensed for a fight, "You fucked up, murdering BASTARD!" She went from shivering little black lamb to a rabid ball of fury, attacking at the arms that held her tightly.

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The siren had finished resounding through Konoha, but the Hyuuga household was already in distress from their leader's violent outbursts. Neji tentatively poked his head out from the newly remodeled room and watched his uncle sweep away one boulder after another with his chakra. The once peaceful rock garden was systematically being torn apart by an incensed Hiashi. Neji tapped his finger on the wall while taking in the sight. So this habit of harboring pent up resentment to its boiling point was hereditary. It was interesting to see the ever composed Clan Leader go off on his temper tantrum.

"Damn you, Kamizuki," Hiashi kept snarling to no one in particular as a wave of chakra dug a trench in the ground, "She's supposed to be mine. Mine!"

The young Hyuuga was hesitant to interrupt his uncle, but thought it best to attempt calming the enraged man. At least for the sake of the poor gardener, who would have to clean up this mess.

"Hiashi-sama," Neji watched the man stop in the middle of his tirade, drop his head low to take deep breaths before turning around and facing his nephew.

"What is it, Neji," Hiashi's face was back to normal, but his voice still had a dangerous edge to it.

The young man gulped as he tried to think of something to say that would not result in running for the hills or his forehead exploding with pain, "The emergency siren went off, Hiashi-sama. Perhaps the Clan should send a representative to the Hokage."

Then an ANBU jumped in front of him and Hiashi, "Hyuuga-sama, Neji-san, The Hokage has ordered Team Gai to report to the Tower at once."

Hiashi quickly walked up to the ANBU with a frown, "Why was the alarm activated?"

The ANBU gave the Clan Leader a bow, "Two Akatsuki has been seen kidnapping a child from Downtown Konoha. A rescue party for the girl and her mother is being summoned at this moment."

Both Neji and Hiashi froze as the realization hit them, "A dark-haired girl, about so-high with a woman with red-brown hair in a bun?"

The ANBU slowly nodded as he wondered how Hiashi knew that, "Hai, Hyuuga-sama."

Inwardly terror-stricken, Hiashi turned to his nephew, who was already tensing to leave, "I'm going with you to the Hokage Tower."

After hearing the siren go off, Izumo and Kotetsu broke off their search and met up on the street in the middle of Downtown Konoha where the ANBU had gathered with some of the villagers. Several people were busy giving their version of what happened, while others were sobbing about how close to death they were.

"And she ran off after them," cried one woman as she pointed to where Mitsu was last seen, "That poor little girl! I can only imagine what horrible things those monsters will do to her and her mother."

Izumo felt his heart plummet as he ran up to one of the ANBU, "What happened? What little girl?"

The ANBU captain sighed as he turned to the Hokage's personal assistant, "Apparently, the Akatsuki kidnapped a child and her mother ran after them. We have positive identification that Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi are the culprits. I just received word that the Hokage needs to have Team Seven and Team Eight alerted. The two of you can bring them to the Tower."

Izumo ignored the ANBU's order and shook one of the witnesses, "Did the mother have reddish-brown hair?" He desperately prayed that it was some other mother and child going through this hell, but who else would it be? Who else would the Akatsuki target out of the blue?

All the villagers around him paused in thought and to the chuunin's dread, all of them nodded at Mitsu's description. Fear filled Izumo to the core, his hands flew up to his dark hair while he paced around the street.

"She's dead! She's dead! Mitsu's as good as dead," screamed Izumo as he looked in the direction the citizen had shown them, "And if Itachi wants to have some fun, he'll turn Kana-chan into a fucking vegetable!"

Just as horrified, Kotetsu shook his head as he stared at that cursed horizon, "Stupid, stupid woman!"

Trying to keep a clear head, the blue-haired nin turned to his panicking teammate, "We have our orders. The sooner we gather the others, the sooner the Hokage can put together a rescue team. Come on!" Kotetsu clamped a hand down on Izumo's shoulder and pushed him down the street, away from the questioning gaze of the ANBU.

The chuunin worked to calm himself quickly and once Izumo's panic attack ran its course, he flickered away to find Team Seven, while Kotetsu searched for Team Eight.

Izumo found Kakashi and his team already gathered at the bridge, discussing the rumors circulating throughout Konoha. Naruto was jumping around, giving innocent bugs and air particles furious kicks, while Sai was sitting emotionless, but readying his supplies.

Sakura ran up to Izumo when she saw him approach, "Izumo-san! I went back to Kana-chan's home, but she wasn't there. And then I heard the siren go off. Please tell me, it wasn't her!"

The pinkette grimaced when Izumo gave her a grim nod, "Damn it!"

'Let's go now and kick some Uchiha ass,' screamed her inner-self while she repeatedly punched the air.

"I take it, Tsunade wants us at the Tower right away," said Kakashi as he observed Izumo carefully. Even though the chuunin was acting detached and calm, his chakra was fluctuating rapidly, giving away the turmoil inside the man.

"Hai, You are to meet Team Eight there right now," Izumo informed them and they all disappeared for Tsunade's office.

Team Seven arrived at the same time Team Eight did and they all filed into the Hokage office. Following the teams inside, Kotetsu and Izumo looked over at the other shinobi summoned for this mission. Team Gai was already standing at attention, eagerly waiting for their orders. Then Izumo turned to his left when he noticed one more person, who in his opinion, had absolutely no business being there.

"HYUUGA!"

In a fit of rage, Izumo's hands flew to his pouch then threw several shuriken at Hiashi's head. The furious chuunin flickered away from Kotetsu's side and re-appeared over the older man. He tried to land a kick from above, but was thwarted by the retired jounin's bloodline limit.

Already itching for a fight, the Clan Leader easily pushed away the flying weapons then raised his hands to block Izumo's first strike. In a split second, Hiashi grasped the chuunin's leg to use his Gentle Fist, but was annoyed to find the young man disappear in a tornado of leaves. His Byakugan caught Izumo's sneak attack from behind and Hiashi slid away from the kunai slices the chuunin kept throwing at him. Then the Hyuuga sent out a chakra burst from his hand, pushing the other man across the room and slamming him into the wall.

Izumo quickly got back to his feet, only to find Genma and Raido run up and press the chuunin into the wall. Kakashi and Yamato were on the other side of the room, holding Hiashi back at the opposite wall. Prevented from doing bodily harm, the men immediately resorted to verbal assaults.

"You just couldn't keep your hands off Mitsu, you spoiled, yuppie, pain in the ass! It's because of you, she and Kana are in this shit!"

Hiashi growled at the ignorant chuunin, "They would have remained safe, if she had stayed with me! What makes you think you deserve her? Kami! It continues to amaze me how you still don't understand that Mitsu is completely out of your league!"

A firm, but irritated voice rose above their insults, quickly catching the bickering men's attention, "Kamizuki! Hyuuga!"

Both suitors woke from their shouting to see all the gathered shinobi staring at the insane arguing these two bakas had the gall to do in front of the Fifth Hokage. Neji and Kotetsu were half-way hiding in the office corners, hoping no one noticed the embarrassed looks on their faces.

'Oh shit,' thought Izumo and Hiashi as they turned to see an infuriated Tsunade sitting patiently at her desk. The Senin was turning more red by the second, while her teeth were clenched in an angry snarl. Her brown eyes glared ferociously making the blond woman look like a lioness about to rip her prey apart.

"Get...Out."

Genma and Raido let Izumo loose from their hold, while Kakashi and Yamato did the same with Hiashi. Both men stammered as they tried to think of excuses to stay and join the rescue teams.

With a vein throbbing from her temple, Tsunade slowly stood up from her seat and stared the suitors down, "The both of you dared to let your little soap opera interfere with shinobi affairs and now you want to play Knights-In-Shining-Armor?" Everyone watched the Hokage swing a glowing hand up then throw it down on the new desk, causing the wood to crumble and the floor underneath to slightly crack from the aftershocks.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!"

Hiashi and Izumo gulped at the chakra infused fist she waved at them, bowed, and tried to walk out the office as dignified as they could, but not without giving the other man a menacing glare.

"This is all your fault," hissed the chuunin as he sat on the receptionist desk outside Tsunade's office.

Hiashi scoffed as he took a seat in one of the chairs, "It's just as much yours, as mine, boy!"

After a few minutes, the anxious shinobi felt the chakra inside of the office diminish significantly then the door opened, letting Kotetsu, Genma, Shizune walk into the hall. Hiashi immediately stood up when Shizune came over and bowed.

"Hyuuga-sama, your nephew and his team will be accompanying Team Seven and Eight in the Uchihas' rescue. We hope this decision pleases you." The medic-nin smiled at the somber man as he gave his consent.

Kotetsu gave his teammate an encouraging grin, "I wouldn't worry, man. Everyone that was assigned has had experience dealing with the Akatsuki and Kurenai's team will be able to pick up their trail in no time. Why don't go out for a drink?"

Genma sucked on his senbon as he followed the two, "Tsunade-sama ordered me and Hagane to keep you out of trouble, but I don't mind getting a stiff drink at the same time."

Izumo sighed as he waved the jounin along. There was nothing else for him to do, but wait and that was going to be excruciating. The chuunin glanced back to see Hiashi also frowning at his own helplessness in the situation. He didn't know why, maybe because they were in the same boat or that going back to that god-awful estate was too depressing for even the chuunin, so Izumo called out to his rival.

"Oi, Hyuuga! You coming too?"

Hiashi raised an eyebrow at the invitation and after a moment to think, he caught up with the others, "Very well. Sake sounds good right about now, besides it's better than dealing with Shoda."

"Good," said Izumo with a smirk, "Because you're paying."

Once at The Razor Leaf, the four men sat down at a booth and stared intently at their drinks. No one said anything for a while, too depressed to bring up the touchy subject of why they were there, but certainly not in the mood to crack jokes.

Tired of the moody atmosphere, Genma raised his glass in a toast, "To the female of the species... They can treat us like kings and they can treat us like dirt. But we love every one of them from the saints to the flirts."

"God, that's cheesy," snickered Kotetsu as all four men downed their alcohol.

They all poured themselves another set, but were surprised when Anko came barging through the bar doors. She rushed up to the table and pulled a startled Kotetsu out of his seat.

"Thank god, I finally found you! I've been searching everywhere," she shook the chuunin like a bell while shouting loudly, "We gotta go! We need to get out of here, right now!"

Genma frowned at the snake kunoichi, "Damn, Anko! Let the guy get some rest already. Not everyone has Kakashi's stamina."

"You too, Toothpick," Anko grabbed a sputtering Genma by the shirt collar with her other hand then bellowed at the shocked Izumo and Hiashi, "All of you! We're going after Mitsu and Kana!"

"What," said Izumo as he stood up from the table along with Hiashi, "Why?"

Anko dropped Genma and her boyfriend as she waved her arms erratically, "Because there's more than the Akatsuki hunting for Kana-chan. I just saw Sasuke and Kabuto. They're under orders from Orochimaru to bring Kana for his new body!"

"The hell he is," growled Hiashi as he activated his Byakugan.

Genma sighed in relief that he was only being recruited for a life or death mission, "If that's the case, we should give the teams some back up."

"And where do you think you're going," came a stern voice from the next booth. Shizune slid out and stared down the apprehensive group, with hands on her hips and one foot tapping.

"Perfect," exclaimed Anko as she grabbed Shizune, "We could use a medic-nin. Do you have the latest info about Mitsu's last known position?" The hopeful men followed Anko as she dragged the other woman out the bar.

Shizune snatched her arm back from this insane kunoichi, "I'm supposed to make sure these head-strong bakas stay out of trouble! What makes you think I'll help you?"

"Because another team needs to head out now... we wasted too much time as it is. I know how the snake trains his flunkies. Izumo and Kotetsu can handle any genjutsu the Uchihas throw at them. Kabuto's taijutsu doesn't compare to a Hyuuga's and Genma has delt with stage two cursed seals," then Anko sneered knowingly at the brunette, "Besides when last I checked, you and Four-Eyes had some unfinished business."

"The teams Tsunade sent out have a chance against the Akatsuki, but add those two and the odds turn badly," agreed Kotetsu.

Then Genma walked around to the other side of Shizune and gave the medic-nin a wink that made her stomach flipflop, "Come on, Miss Goody Two Shoes. How long has it been since you've been on the field anyways?"

With a slight blush gracing her cheeks, Shizune mentally checked on her medical supplies, "Well, I do owe Yakushi from years ago," She opened up a sleeve on one arm covered with black wristbands and looked over her senbon arsenal, "I'll just leave Tsunade-sama a note."

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As the sun dipped into the horizon, the Akatsuki rushed along the treetops, occasionally stopping to check for anymore following shinobi. Except for their running footsteps and the child's ranting, there was barely a sound to be heard. All the living things nearby sensed the deathly wake these men left behind them and made concerted effort to avoid them. It was still another day before the fugitives could even lay eyes on the border into the Land of Rain. The others seemed to be satisfied of their escape, but Itachi couldn't help, noticing something or someone was carefully shadowing them. Then he heard a slight scratch in the background.

"Stop," everyone came to a stand still and watched Itachi scrutinize the moonlit landscape. And then it was gone, but something was not quite right and Itachi could feel it. It didn't help that the girl was kicking and screaming up enough noise to wake the dead.

The eight year old kicked and bit as much as she could at her kidnapper, "First chance I get, I'll rip you a new a-hole before splitting your skull in two!"

The irritated man sighed as he pulled the little girl and held her up by the arms, "You are all talk, child. You have no chance hitting me even once, so it would be better for you to remain silent."

Tomoe flaring, Kana moved her head to look straight into Itachi's advanced Sharingan and brazenly touched nose to nose, "Yeah right, you sick fuck! One hard kick in the happy sacks and you'll hit the dirt just like the rest of 'em."

"Hn," unimpressed, Itachi dumped the struggling girl into Tobi's arms, "Hold." The former ANBU captain turned back around to intently watch the forest. He could barely feel the chakra now, but even with his Sharingan activated, it felt like his vision was slipping.

Tobi stretched his arm out as he held the furious eight year old by the scruff of her neck, "Tobi doesn't know if this was such a good idea, Itachi-san." He pulled his arm in and out as Kana attempted to scratch at his mask.

"I know the Hokage personally, you stupid twat, and if you don't put me the fuck down, she'll bitch slap you into the next century."

Kisame whistled at the continued cussing filling the air, "Hello! That one's got quite a vocabulary!"

As Itachi grew more uneasy, the others became increasingly comfortable with their surroundings and seemed to forget they had just pissed off one of the most powerful hidden villages in the world. It was as if a soft cloud of euphoria seeped into their minds, not unlike those strange cigarettes Deidara used to smoke before Leader-sama gave him a little talk. Besides, they were the Akatsuki, Missing S-class nins that could easily handle some little Leaf-ninja.

"With a mouth like that, she should be able to communicate with Hidan perfectly, yeah." Diedara and Kisame lazily walked away from Tobi and reclined on a log to observe their latest captive struggle in their teammate's grip.

"Strange though, I thought all Uchihas were mono-syllable inclined," Yawning, the Stone shinobi stretched out his hand and started counting his fingers, "Let's see there's the ever-popular, 'Hn', followed by 'Die' and of course, 'Kill', yeah."

Itachi thoroughly ignored the jabbering men as his eyes darted back and forth among the surrounding trees, 'There...no there... Damn! Why can't I concentrate?'

Oblivious to his partner's consternation, Kisame turned and waved a finger at Deidara, "Ah, but don't forget Itachi's favorite phrases," the shark-man deepened and softened his voice, "Foolish little brother" or "You don't have enough hate."

Tobi switched Kana from one hand to the next as she thrashed violently, "Tobi thinks this one's got plenty of hate."

"God damn fucking son of a bitch," screamed the little girl as her legs kicked in the empty air, "I said to let me go, you Crayola reject!!"

Deidara pulled some food pills from his other pouch and popped one into his regular mouth, "They do say girls verbally mature faster than boys, yeah."

"If that's right, then Itachi-san and his brother are waaay behind," sighed Tobi as the midnight moppet spun around in circles with her punches just millimeters away from the orange mask. He pushed the fistful of angry midget out again to avoid the little leg attempting to kick his face in.

Stealing some of Deidara food pills, Kisame chuckled as they watched the youngest Uchiha helplessly huff, then out of frustration stick both her middle fingers in Tobi's face, "As Itachi's partner, I have to admit the Uchiha language is notoriously short." He threw all the pills in the air and chomped them down.

"I wonder though," he mumbled with his mouth full, "Where did she get such an eclectic potty mouth!"

Then the four missing nin finally felt a single furious chakra signature coming straight for them, not unlike a howling mama bear making a beeline for her cub.

"Get your fucking hands off my baby girl, you orange prick," spat Mitsu as she landed in front of them, "Or I'll bust my foot so far up your ass, you won't shit for a month!"

Unperturbed, the three Akatsuki nodded to each other sagely, "Ahhh!"

"Mom," Kana cried in relief, "You're not dead! Uh wooo..." The little girl frowned when she saw the torn and charred clothing covering her mother. Her arms were covered in soot and dirt with one sleeve ripped off. Her black skirt was torn up one leg and would have dropped off completely if not for the impromptu knot tied at the hip. Grinning stupidly, Kisame and Deidara took a moment to leer at the sparsely covered female in front of them.

Itachi ignored the furious kunoichi threatening the four men and walked around in a circle, taking note whenever his Sharingan eyes began to glaze over in apathy.

"Got you," Itachi flickered away then re-appeared next to a fully clothed Mitsu, who was crouching in a treetop as her clone distracted the other Akatsuki. Holding her kunai in his hand, Itachi clasped her neck with a vise grip and kneed her stomach in. The clone in front of the two lechers disappeared in a puff of smoke and their eyes blinked as if waking from a nap.

Trying to ignore the pain in her abdomen, Mitsu grabbed at his wrist and tried to break his hold, "How did you?" Why didn't he focus on her clone? He shouldn't have noticed her in the trees. Actually, she should have noticed him not paying attention to her clone. Why didn't she?

"Interesting genjutsu," he murmured as he jumped to the ground, still carrying the kunoichi by the throat, "At least it would be, if my IQ was no bigger than my pinky." Itachi glared pointedly at his fellow Akatsuki, who all coughed nervously and managed to look embarrassed.

"Fuck you, asshole," Mitsu choked out. She tried to bring an elbow up to his nose, but before her joint could hit anything, he let loose his hold and twisted his face just shy of her arm. He kicked out in retaliation, but Mitsu dropped down, twisted and sent her own leg to fly at his ankles, followed by the other foot to kick at his crotch. She threw one attack after another at the bastard. Every time she tried to connect, the burgundy kunoichi kept getting empty air. As Mitsu's frustration grew stronger, her attacks increasingly desperate, pushing more chakra to speed up her hands.

Itachi easily avoided her strikes and flickered from her punches, until he raised a hand, grasped her fist, and caught her flying leg. Mitsu tried to break free of his grip, but was slammed backwards into the dirt.

Kana whined pitifully to see her mother practically toyed with by the superior Uchiha. Then she watched in horror when Mitsu got the wind painfully knocked out of her and lie vulnerable on the ground. Kana could feel the tears well up in her eyes when Itachi backed up and everyone watched the woman cough up some blood then slowly roll back to her feet.

The distressed little girl sobbed as her mother straightened herself and went back into her fighting stance, "No, Mom, no. Get out of here. Get help."

"Heh," Mitsu chuckled as she wiped the blood from her lips, "Like they'd let me get very far."

Itachi narrowed his eyes at the kunoichi. She was right. Fighting them was proving useless and yet the woman continued. Maybe she was hoping to stall them, giving the Leaf-nin enough time to catch up. She was going to have to do better than that.

Then he felt a familiar fluctuating chakra full of hate and contempt heading their way, specifically for him. Annoyed at the interruption, Itachi flickered next to the exhausted Mitsu and knocked her out with one blow that sent Kana into another frenzy of angry flailing and profane screaming.

His Sharingan eyes returned to normal and turned to his partner, "Kisame, we need to leave. Drain the kunoichi's chakra."

"Aren't you going to kill her," the shark-nin unhitched Samehada from his back and waved it over the unconscious woman. Samehada's wrappings slithered and writhed as the sword consumed most of Mitsu's chakra, but left just enough to keep her alive.

Itachi thoughtfully watched Kana going berserk in Tobi's grasp, studying the little girl's attachment to her mother, "No. We're taking her with us. She's going to be useful."

Then Itachi turned around and stared at a seemingly random spot among the trees. Then everyone heard a distinctive chirping noise grow louder as the source came closer. Even Kana froze from her ranting when she heard the strange sound and glanced nervously around at the alert Akatsuki.

'Oh no,' the eight year old shuddered as she felt the same cold countenance from a week ago, 'Not him! Anybody, but him!'


	18. Chapter 18

I do not own Naruto

Thank you for the reviews wickedone43 and hpnerdnarutonut. And many thanks Kiyasume for the corrections and critiques. I don't know if I got everything, but I'll check again. Thank you for the compliment hpnerdnartuonut about Mitsu and Kana. Kiyasume is right about Kana. She's mix of a pre-massacre Sasuke and Obito, who played the Naruto role of his team. And Mitsu is a mix of my favorite kunoichi, Kurenai, Anko, and Natsuhi from Hoshigakure.

This chapter is more serious than the others and there's no citrus in here, no matter how hard I tried to think of some way. Shrug Sorry!

The plot moves forward and I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 18**

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"Deidara, take the kunoichi and the girl," ordered Itachi as he looked up at the rising moon beyond the trees, "We're going to make a run for it." He and Kisame pushed chakra into their feet and jumped away into the darkness.

The Iwa-nin pulled out a tiny clay bird and with a hand sign enlarged it for the last two Akatsuki to jump on. Deidara placed Mitsu in the bird's tail while Tobi kept a shivering Kana in his arms.

The eight year old looked back among the dark shadows to see a strange white light glimmer erratically and her Sharingan eyes picked up the increasing speed with which it was heading for them.

"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," she whispered as she peeked out the folds of Tobi's cloak, "If we're supposed to make a run for it, you guys are moving slower than a three-legged turtle."

Deidara smirked as he glanced over his shoulder, "Heh, that's what you think, yeah!" Then the bird quickly rose in the night air with Kana's stomach plunging fast into her feet.

"Aw," said Tobi as the midnight moppet tightly clung to him and screamed bloody murder, "Tobi thinks the little one is afraid of heights."

With the first stars twinkling overhead, the Iwa-nin looked down at the shrinking landscape to see Sasuke and his glowing body run past the spot they had just occupied and continue after Itachi and Kisame. The scope over his eye whirled as he caught a glimpse of the avenging Uchiha, who was more intent on killing his brother than to recognize where Kana and her mother had disappeared. Turning back to his task, Deidara directed the clay bird to take the secondary route for the Rain borders.

He never noticed one more person calmly walk out from behind a tree and watch the last two Akatsuki fly away. Kabuto knelt down to what Mitsu's hand had dropped when Itachi had attacked her. Several short locks of burgundy hair strands, that the medic-nin had seen earlier, were left in a messy little pile.

The young man smiled as he picked up most of the hair and rubbed it between his fingers, "Let's see what I can do with this then."

Up in the night sky, Kana was going berserk for an entirely different reason this time. She had been to the top of the Hokage monument, lived through a week of sea-sickness, and survived painful saddle sores from horseback riding, but this was new experience in terror.

"Want down! Want down! Want down now" She threw her arms about and her legs kicked out in every way. Tobi was careful to swing the child's extremities away from himself, but unfortunately, due to the limited space on the bird, that meant Deidara was having to dodge Kana's crazy flailing.

"Watch it, yeah!"

The masked Akatsuki struggled to keep the girl still, "Tobi is sorry, Deidara-senpai. Tobi will try to keep her over here." He twisted Kana around just as her leg wildly struck out at the back of Deidara's head.

He ducked from the tiny foot in time, "Oi, she nearly kicked me in the head, yeah!"

Tobi swung back around to his partner, "Oh, did she hit you, Senpai?" This time Kana's leg did connect right into the small of Deidara's back.

"Urgh!"

"Oh sorry, Senpai," the orange shinobi turned back around, making the freaking out eight year old's arm whack the Iwa-nin in the face, "Is that better?"

Deidara's forehead was now burning red from where Kana had accidentally slapped him, "NO, YEAH!"

He turned around to face his partner and stood up to shake a fist at Tobi, "If you don't get her under control, baka, she's going to ride in the mouth. That way we'll barely hear a thing. I don't care how much she screams, yeah!"

"Okay, okay, Deidara-senpai," said Tobi as he tried to placate the furious shinobi, "So sorry. How about Tobi will just move her to front that way you can..." Tobi didn't get a chance to finish because Kana flicked her foot out like lightning, hitting the Stone shinobi right in the junction of his legs.

If Deidara didn't have a scope over one eye, his passengers would have seen his blue eyes cross together as his hands moved over his crotch and he dropped to his knees.

"Senpai," Tobi threw the crying Kana over one shoulder while he tapped his partner on the head several times, "Deidara-senpai, this isn't the time to take a nap."

"Fuck this shit," the Iwa-nin managed to growl out from clenched teeth as his forehead rolled on the bird's back, "We're landing, yeah!"

The clay bird drifted down on a the foot of a mountainside, about a hundred yards ahead of Itachi and Kisame. Groaning, Deidara slid off the bird as he recollected himself on the ground.

"Why did you stop," asked the older Uchiha brother as he and Kisame appeared beside the bird.

Right before the bird deactivated, Tobi jumped down with a hyperventilating Kana over his shoulder, "Deidara-senpai had some difficulties flying the bird... too many distractions apparently."

"It was that damn girl, yeah," cried the Iwa-nin as he straightened up and pointed to Kana, "She's scared of heights!"

"Hn," Activating his Sharingan, Itachi walked around Tobi to face the panicking eight year old and looked the girl in the eyes, "Stop!"

"EEP!" Kana froze as she looked into Itachi's crimson eyes again. The older Uchiha's curt admonishment was the mental slap in the face she needed for her return to sanity. The poor girl's senses were already on overload from the sky adventure and if she had to go through any more stress, the Akatsuki would have had one less clean cloak.

"ITACHI!" Everyone turned to where the vengeful cry came from, "DIE!" A wake of destruction flew around the younger Uchiha brother as his Chidori ripped up the ground. The Akatsuki turned around to defensive positions as Sasuke broke through the trees and ran straight for his brother.

"What again," complained Kisame with a shrug as he recognized the same attack the young Uchiha had used three years ago, "Does the boy learn anything new?"

This time Sasuke anticipated Itachi's last second block and flickered from sight to try to land his chidori from the side. The older brother caught the move easily and immediately raised his hand to side swipe away the dangerous chakra.

Tobi carried Kana a safe distance away behind some trees while Deidara flopped Mitsu next to his teammate. Kisame stayed by his partner's side and unsheathed Samehada, ready to use it if Itachi gave the signal, but the older Uchiha efficiently defended himself from his brother's strikes. Sasuke inwardly smirked as he watched Itachi block attack after attack, becoming more complacent in coming into contact with his younger brother.

Deciding now was the time, Sasuke flipped backwards giving some distance between the two remaining Akatsuki and himself. Silently watching the others, the younger Uchiha slid out his kusanagi and channeled his Chidori through it. Itachi and Kisame eyed the flickering lightning that crawled all over the boy's figure and traveled to the tip of the sword. When the Chidori Nagashi completely covered his body, a smirking Sasuke rose from his perch and ran for Itachi, sword raised high.

"Block me now, bastard," screamed the avenging boy.

Itachi sidestepped the repeated slashes being careful not to touch his brother until his eyes gave him a better understanding of this new jutsu.

"Hah! Spoke too soon, I guess," Somewhat impressed, Kisame watched the sword enhanced with the new jutsu until he felt his hands strangely tremble from Samehada's hilt. The Mist-nin raised an eyebrow as a smirk grew on his face. He raised Samehada closer to Sasuke's position and felt his sentient weapon respond heavily to the concentrated chakra electrifying the surrounding area.

"Well, what do you know! Oi Itachi, Samehada discovered a new snack. Should we indulge?"

Kisame's dark-haired teammate sighed darkly as he slid millimeters away from the chakra-flowing kusanagi, "Might as well. This is turning into a waste of time."

Sasuke gaped at how his brother calmly shrugged off his attempts to kill him. He lashed out once more only to find his sword hit the jagged edge of Samehada. The young Uchiha watched his chakra sucked into the accursed weapon. He quickly drew his sword away from Kisame, but it was too little too late. The chakra feeding the Chidori was diminished enough to barely give off a static shock.

'Damn it! Where the hell is Kabuto? He could've intervened with that overgrown guppy.' Sasuke backed up a few paces as the two Akatsuki coolly watch him try to regroup.

---------------------------------------------------

The three teams did their best to search the charred rubble of Deidara's blast site in the dark, looking for any human remains or clues to which way the Akatsuki took Kana. Akamaru and Kiba ran around the black edges of the fireball's remnants until they picked up Mitsu's scent.

"Oi! I think we found something," Kiba knelt down on one knee as he picked up a short burgundy hair strand, "It's in good condition. There's a good chance she's alive." The others joined Inuzuka and fanned out examining the area. Hinata and Neji's Byakugan focused their eyes, stretching their vision to scout around them, while Shino's beetles spread out among the foliage. Akamaru continued to follow his nose as he discovered more strands along the ground. Single strands were carefully scattered in a strange path, almost as if they were planted.

Inspecting further, Tenten held one hair strand up to her eyes, "No root on either end and it's not jagged. This is a clean slice, most likely from a kunai." She handed the strand to Kakashi, who held it to Pakkun's nose.

"Hrm," the pug sniffed it then sat back on his hunches with a nod, "No other hands touched this. Most likely she cut it herself to leave a trail for us to follow, but we need to be careful. I picked up two more people chasing after her... one of them smells like you're student, Kakashi." Naruto and Sakura frowned at each other when they heard Pakkun hint about Sasuke.

"Don't tell me Teme came all the way back to Konoha just to kill Kana," growled Naruto as he scratched his blond hair, "That makes no sense!"

Sakura closed her emerald eyes as she tried to figure out her former teammate, "Orochimaru," whispered the pinkette, "It's getting close to the time when he'll take over a new body. Maybe Sasuke wants to exchange Kana for him. That way he could still go after Itachi."

"He might let Sasuke believe that, but there has to be another reason," commented Kakashi as the other teams drew in closer, "Orochimaru is too power obsessed to give up on what he worked so hard for."

Walking up from behind, Kurenai nodded, "I agree, but we'll worry about that later. We need to go before the trail runs cold. Shino, Kiba have you picked up anything else?"

"There's faint traces of Kana and the Akatsuki," said Shino as his Destruction Beetles returned to his body, "But the fire destroyed most of them. Our best bet now would be using Mitsu-san's trail."

"Yosh! Let us head out now and rescue MY MITSU-CHAN," Gai bellowed joyfully and gave everyone a huge thumbs up. Then Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast jumped into the air and took off before anyone could correct him.

"Should we tell him he's g-going the wrong way," Hinata whispered to her cousin as she fidgeted her fingers together.

Neji sighed deeply as his over-enthusiastic sensei happily bounded through the tree tops, "He'll catch up when he notices we're all gone."

The thee teams, minus one jounin, ran off in the opposite direction until they came across a confusing split in the trail. More strands were found going in a tangent from her original path, but her footprints indicated she went further ahead.

"Looks like someone started tampering with our tracking," grumbled Kurenai as picked up a burgundy strand then lightly traced Mitsu's prints in the dirt.

Some of Shino's beetles returned and landed on his hands, "Mitsu's scent had disappeared from that way and replaced with clay. The Missing Iwa-nin may have taken Mitsu-san and Kana-san in the air. There's no way to tell though. It will be difficult to track them by smell now."

Kiba and Akamaru perked up as they caught the slight metallic tinge tickle their noses, "Yeah, I picked it up too, Akamaru. Sensei, there's blood in that direction." He pointed to where the prints led and the others followed to where the ground had been seriously disturbed.

"It looks like the Akatsuki decided to do something about their shadow," replied Yamato as his eyes raked over the circles and digs carved into the dirt.

Hinata was the first to notice the small puddle of blood mixed with spit lying pitifully on some flattened grass, "Over there. Some blood." She walked to the spot, bent down, and tested the viscosity, "S-still damp. We may yet catch up."

Shino nodded as his beetle confirmed that the blood belonged to a female, "Seeing as how the area isn't covered with blood then it's safe to assume that she's still alive and they took her with them."

"But why," asked Tenten, "Wouldn't she just slow them down."

"Maybe to keep Kana-san in line," Sai shrugged nonchalantly, "Or perhaps to pump Mitsu-san for information. I wouldn't put torture past the Akatsuki, especially Uchiha Itachi."

Kakashi's eye darkened as memories of his time in Itachi's Mangekyou flashed before him, "Pakkun, what about Sasuke?"

Pakkun rooted around the trees, "Those two scents split. One is following the hair while Sasuke went after the clay."

"There's nothing for it then," sighed Kakashi as he rubbed his head in consternation, "We're gonna have to split up as well. They may have taken Kana-chan one way and Mitsu another. Yamato, Sai, and Naruto, you two go with Team Eight. You can signal us if you find something. Sakura, and I will go with Team Gai. Now all we need is..."

"I AM HERE, KAKASHI! LET US KICK SOME AKATSUKI BEHIND!"

"Right on time, Gai."

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Back in Konoha, Team Ten had just reached the top of the stairwell when they heard Tsunade's roaring voice echoing in the air, "DAMN IT! Shizune was supposed to be my failsafe in keeping those dolts in Konoha!" Shika, Ino and Chouji flinched when they saw a file cabinet crash through a window.

"I am not going in there," protested Chouji as he backed down a couple steps.

Shikamaru groaned as he scratched the back of his dark hair, "Have to agree with Chouji here. Tsunade's temper tantrums are way too troublesome."

"We've been ordered to see the Hokage and we will see the Hokage," Asuma bravely walked through the hall to the office door then ducked when a chair flew out and smash into pieces on the opposite wall.

Ino carefully poked her head around the corner, "Is it safe yet, sensei?"

"Uh, give me a second," he mumbled then raised his voice through the open doors, "Hokage-sama, Raido said you needed to see us?"

Tsunade turned around from ripping apart another file cabinet, "All of you! Get your derriers in here!"

The three chuunin gulped, but they complied to the Hokage's order. Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji bowed before getting a good look at the ruined office.

'Ah man,' Ino whined inwardly as her blue eyes surveyed the room, 'And I just finished organizing that file cabinet two days ago.'

All three chuunin nervously waited a few minutes as Tsunade tried calming down and watched her hand Asuma a note. The angry blond turned to look out the broken window as her brown eyes searched the skies for some unknown answer.

The jounin looked over the hastily scrawled note and winced, "Huh... Well, I'm sure they were just trying to anticipate your orders, Hokage-sama."

"Yeah, right," Tsunade frowned as she tapped her fingers on her crossed arms, "What I don't understand was how the hell did they convince Shizune to go with them? She never makes a rash decision. The four of you will go after those bakas, tell them to get their asses home, then give the rescue teams some back up."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" Team Ten bowed before disappearing to their mission.

Tsunade growled as she smacked her fist repeatedly in her palm, "If those idiots come back alive, I'll have them mucking out horse stalls for a month... Including the High and Mighty Hyuuga!"

Hiashi grunted as he successfully stifled a sneeze. The Hodgepodge Team raised eyebrows at the embarrassed Hyuuga then returned to looking for clues among the burned landscape, trying to figure out which direction the Rescue Team went.

"That's not good for you, you know," chided Shizune as she walked up behind Hiashi, "Refusing to sneeze only weakens your body's defense system and opens you up to simple ailments like the common cold, allergens..."

Everyone, including the Hyuuga Clan Leader, rolled their eyes and tuned out the medic-nin's lecture. Instead, they paid attention to Tonton, who they picked up before heading out of Konoha. After giving the pig a good whiff from one of Mitsu's blouses, Tonton ran for the blast sight of Deidara's jutsu.

"Buhi! Buhi," Tonton squealed as she hurried over to Mitsu's trail of cut hair, "Buhi, buhi!"

"Alright Tonton," waving her hands to the others, Shizune ran up to where Tonton was scurrying around in the dirt, "She says she picked up Mitsu's scent and the others went that way!"

"I can't believe we're getting directions from a hog dressed in a red coat and pearls," grumbled Kotetsu.

"BUHI! BUHI!" Tonton kicked up her rear hooves at the blue-haired chuunin, making him back away from the irate pig.

"She said to keep up that talk and you'll end up deep fried," said Shizune as she politely covered her giggles.

Kotetsu growled at the pink pig until Tonton smacked her snout into his leg, "Alright! Alright, I'm sorry!" He jerked an arm in front of his face when the pig gave one more threatening snort.

Anko picked up a strand and chuckled, "Good girl, Mitsu-chan... She's giving herself a little haircut so we can follow after her. Perhaps I can help her choose a new hairstyle when we get her back." She fluffed her dark spiky ponytail, causing both Izumo and Hiashi to wince at the same time.

With Tonton in Shizune's arms, Hiashi and Genma ran ahead of the group while Izumo and Kotetsu brought up the rear. As the team ran through the night forest, Genma would occasionally check on how Izumo and Hiashi were holding up under the pressure. Both men had pushed aside their animosity and were entirely focused on their tasks. Hiashi had his Byakugan activated to scout ahead, while Izumo regularly scrutinized the area with Kotetsu for any enemies coming from behind.

The senbon shinobi smiled to himself as he bounced from one limb to the next, "Hah! Only a couple hours ago, those two were ready to rip each other apart. Mitsu wouldn't believe me, even if I showed her a picture." Then the group came across the hair and footprint split in the trail.

"Damn it! Now what," grumbled Izumo as he fumbled with the burgundy hair strands in his fingertips.

Hiashi concentrated his chakra to focus ahead to where the prints ended, "Her footprints come to an end over there, but there's no body." He swung his vision to the tree tops and sky, "Nothing there now, but that doesn't mean they didn't try flying."

"Buhi! Buhi! Buhi," Tonton hopped out of Shizune's arms and trotted back and forth between both directions, "Buhi, buhi!"

Shizune watched the pig for a second then translated for everyone, "I think you're right Hiashi-sama. Tonton said she could smell clay from the Missing Iwa-nin, but any sign of Mitsu and Kana is gone. The Iwa-nin probably used the same kind of clay bird jutsu when he kidnapped the Kazekage. She also said that the Rescue Teams split up. Half followed the hair, the others went after the clay scent."

"We gotta pick one," mumbled Genma, "Chances are we'll run into some of the Rescue Team and we can get caught up on the mission from there."

Izumo stared at the night sky and sighed, "If we chase the clay and the Akatsuki dispel the bird, then we'll eventually be running blind. We might have a better chance if we follow the hair."

"Well, then what are we waiting for," cried the snake kunoichi with a knee raised high and her finger pointing southwest, "Follow that hair!" Anko glared back at the snickering shinobi, "You know what I mean!"

Kotetsu smirked at his over-excited girlfriend, "Sure thing... Alice."

---------------------

Sasuke grit his teeth as he tried to think of way to get to Itachi without dealing with the fishy freak. He needed back up to keep Kisame at bay.

'Where the hell is the Bootlicker? He said he was going to mis-direct the Leaf-nin, but it shouldn't be taking him this long. I need to buy time!" The young man's eyes wandered to where Deidara and Tobi were calmly watching the fight, looking rather bored too. Then his three-Tomoe eyes laid on the nervous face of Uchiha Kana, his original mission.

'Oh yeah, that's right. If I have to, I have to...,' Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he looked back at his brother, "Why? Why the hell would you risk walking into Konoha to snatch a little brat?"

Itachi looked his brother in the eye, "Why would you?" Then the older Uchiha brother reached into his robe to pull out a scroll that had previously been tucked away in Sasuke's shirt. The boy patted down his top then glowered angrily at his brother.

With Kisame guarding between Sasuke and his brother, Itachi opened up the scroll to read through the letter and observe the small photo, "I see... Our cousin, Keitaro, managed to pro-create outside of the Clan. Well, I guess there's always one stray in the family. Nevertheless, you should be less concerned about her and more about surviving this night with your mind intact, but then maybe that's why you want her so badly." All the shinobi watched the faintest flicker of surprise cross the young man's face.

"Perhaps, you want dear Orochimaru to use her body so you can continue your vendetta," Itachi sighed as he rolled the scroll back up, "How foolish to think a tiny child could satisfy your master so easily, when he has such a pliable student at his beck and call. You should know better than that, Sasuke-chan." The rest of Akatsuki chuckled openly at the young Uchiha's gullibility while the blood drained from Kana's already pale face.

"In addition, you might want to fine-tune that fascinating jutsu of yours first. That way you might actually stand a chance. Even if you were somehow able to get to the girl, I would kill her before letting your master get his hands on her. And you know, I would do it," Itachi watched his little brother's crimson eyes burn all the hotter with hatred.

Frustrated at how he was still unable to touch Itachi, Sasuke growled angrily at his superior brother's teasing, "Then what else could Orochimaru want with a snot nosed kid like her?"

The older Uchiha gave his brother another patronizing smirk, "Wouldn't it be convenient for the Snake Senin, if he had a new Sharingan body to occupy every decade or so. All he would have to do is find someone to help reestablish the Uchiha Clan as he saw fit."

Kana knit her brows as her little brain cells worked rapidly to piece the puzzle together, "Do you mean to like use me for babies? Oh gross! Ew! Ew! Why would I want to sleep with strange ugly boys with Kami-knows-what-kind of cooties?"

"Hmm," mused Deidara as he rubbed his chin in thought, "Not exactly an original idea, yeah. Shinobi villages use that tactic all the time to reinstate dying Kekkei-genkai and the Sharingan would qualify. Orochimaru-teme probably would want to keep the bloodline as pure as possible too. You wouldn't have to worry about strangers, girlie. Daddy would be Itachi's little bro."

Kana sputtered in horror when she realized what the Akatsuki had been hinting at, "W-wait a minute. Wait a minute. If my Papa was their cousin and," she pointed to the angsty avenger with a shudder, "With him... Oh Kami! Isn't that like, incest or something? EEWWWW!"

Tobi, who was holding the little girl in both arms like a cherished teddy bear, nodded his head in agreement, "Tobi agrees with the little one. That sounds very wrong."

The eight year old pulled an arm out and shook a finger, "Isn't incest supposed to be illegal! Not to mention, the chance to have weirdo kids that are emotionally fucked up, who grow into complete nut jobs and become totally psychooooh...," her voice faltered when the Uchiha brothers stopped glaring at each other and two sets of angry Sharingan slowly rotated to stare icily at her. The littlest Uchiha gulped at the silent cold threats rising from the other two.

"I'm gonna shut up now," she squeaked then huddled back into Tobi's arms.

"Good idea, yeah," chuckled Deidara as he put some space between him and the motor-mouth girl.

----------------------------

Further southwest of the Akatsuki, the second half of the Rescue Team jumped out of the trees and landed in a clearing. Kurenai and Yamato stopped and knelt down in front of what seemed to be the last wisp of hair before the trail went completely cold.

"Dead end," murmured the brunette kunoichi as she looked back at the others with disgust in her voice, "Why am I not surprised."

Shino and Kiba silently searched the area for anymore clues and came up with a strange scent. They looked at each other for confirmation and spread out to defensive positions.

"Sensei," whispered Shino as his beetles readied themselves in a cloud, "That unknown scent is nearby."

Hinata activated her Byakugan and scanned beyond the darkness, "There." She pointed to where a figure's faint chakra signature glimmered in a shadow of a tree.

The medic-nin scowled from his hiding spot then took off running like a shot. He didn't get far when large wooden pillars reached out of the earth and enclosed around him.

Yamato smugly pulled back from activating his Four Pillars Technique, "Let's see who sent us on this goose chase." Team Eight and half of Team Seven gathered around the wood cage to see Yakushi Kabuto smirking behind the bars.

"Should've known you'd be here," shouted the blond shinobi, "I'm gonna finish what Tsunade-baachan started years ago!"

Kiba and Hinata frowned angrily at the smirking young man who easily manipulated them back at their first Chuunin Exam.

Naruto grabbed Kabuto's shirt through the wood bars and pulled him close, "What are you smiling about, Four Eyes?"

The medic just mutely shrugged then fell limp in the fifteen year old's grip. Naruto violently shook the sinking figure until the henge disappeared, revealing the corpse of a stranger.

"I thought something was not quite right," sighed Shino as he looked over the dead man, "That is one annoying jutsu."

"Damn it! We have to get back to Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto as he quickly turned around while Sai immediately dispatched ink creatures to signal the Copy Nin.

---------------------------------

'Screw this,' thought the younger Uchiha as he glared at his impassive brother, 'I won't wait for Kabuto's lazy ass anymore,' No longer able to hold back his temper, Sasuke snarled as he activated his Heavenly Seal to the first stage. Itachi watched the black flames slink across half of his little brother's face and neck in all it's menacing glory.

"Depending on the Snake's crutch," murmured Itachi as his Sharingan eyes radiated pity, "I showed you how to find real power and you rely on pathetic Cursed Seals. How disappointing."

Filled with new chakra, Sasuke roared ferociously and ran to attack his older brother. The night air filled with the sound of Sasuke's onslaught upon an impassive Itachi.

"Tobi's getting tired of all this annoying sibling rivalry. It keeps getting in the way," sighed the orange Akatsuki as they all watched Sasuke throw one attack after another at Itachi, then he looked down at the little girl in his arms, "Only child?"

Kana blinked in confusion about the question, but nodded up at him, "Hai."

"Good!"

Frowning, the midnight moppet was about to ask the masked man what exactly did he mean by that, when a young man with glasses landed behind the snarling Sasuke.

"Sorry, I'm late," apologized Kabuto in a deceptively soothing voice, "Had to take care of this and that... You know how it is."

Sasuke slashed out with his kusanagi barely slicing a piece of black cloth from Itachi's cloak, "Where the fuck have you been? I could've used you earlier."

The silver-haired medic-nin raised his eyebrows and adjusted his spectacles, "You actually missed me? I'm touched," he laid a hand over his heart with feigned shock, "Really, I am!"

"Just shut it and get the girl," shouted the Brat as he tried to find a hole or a weakness, something to get past his brother's defense. The Uchiha Avenger pulled back long enough to restore his Chidori Nagashi, filling the area with an unearthly light.

Kabuto's eyes searched through the trees to find Tobi holding Kana and Deidara standing next to the lying figure of Mitsu. The medic-nin melted into the shadows and brought his hands together.

'Nirvana Temple Jutsu,' he directed the sleep inducing technique towards the two Akatsuki and patiently waited for it to take effect.

With his scope, Deidara looked around at the floating feathers and grinned, "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

Tobi sighed and looked down at the sleepy little girl in his arms, "This won't do Deidara-senpai. We need Kana-chan awake for this. May Tobi?"

"Knock yourself out," shrugged the Pyro as he turned his attention back to the warring brothers.

Tobi turned to the darkness and focused on the spot where Kabuto was hiding. The medic-nin was surprised to see his jutsu not only failing, but he himself was starting to feel lightheaded. Cursing, he raised his hands in dispelling the genjutsu.

"Head on assault," sighed the young man, "God, I really hate that!" He pulled out a soldier pill and pooled his chakra into his hands, effectively turning them into glowing scalpels. Steeling himself for battle, Kabuto ran straight for Tobi.

The orange Akatsuki cocked his head to one side playfully as he watched Sasori's pet run towards them, not bothering to move in the slightest, "Kana-chan, Kana-chan. Wake up. You should see this."

The midnight moppet yawned as she finally broke through Kabuto's genjutsu with Tobi's help, "Wh-what is it? Waaaah!" Scrambling in the orange-masked man's arms, her onyx eyes popped as she saw the silver-haired young man running to attack them. Then they saw Kisame's giant serrated sword swing out and barely miss the advancing medic, who flipped out of range just in time.

"Can't let Itachi have all the fun, now can I," chuckled the Mist-nin as he swung the giant weapon at the agile Kabuto.

Hearing the loud voices around her, Mitsu's ruby eyes fluttered open then groaned as she pushed herself from the ground. Still feeling weak as a kitten, she carefully crawled to sit up on her knees and took a good look around.

"Shit," Tobi and Deidara watched the woman slightly sway unsteadily while she glanced on either side to get her bearings, "How the hell did we get here? And who the fuck are they?"

Mitsu nodded at the silver-haired young man who was busy entertaining Kisame then the boy, who looked remarkably like the taller Uchiha.

"Kami knows who that is, but that's Sasuke-teme over there," said Kana then she yipped when said shinobi growled at the little girl.

Finally recognizing the younger Uchiha brother, Mitsu frowned as she stood up and waved a fist at him, "Oh, I owe you some pain, boy! No one busts my baby's skull open and gets away with it!"

Deidara rolled his eyes at the burgundy kunoichi, "I guess she got the motor-mouth from her mother too, yeah."

"Aw, did Sasuke-san hurt Kana-chan," asked Tobi as he gave the little girl a pat on the head, "Maybe Kana-chan should learn to hit Sasuke-san back. Want tips?"

A smirk grew on the midnight moppet's little face, "Really now?" She eagerly watched Itachi dodge Sasuke's sword and imagined the weapon slicing through both troublesome brothers.

Examining Tobi carefully in the dark, Mitsu then scowled at her grinning daughter, "Kana-chan, what did I say about turning 'Avenger' on me!"

The little girl rolled her eyes with a tired sigh, then bobbed her head as she recited numbly, "That so help you, you'll come back from the dead to kick my emo ass."

"Damn straight," the burgundy kunoichi growled as she crossed her arms and glared at the masked Akatsuki.

Kisame slowly drained the medic-nin's chakra with every swing of Samehada that just so happened to be only millimeters from scratching. Kabuto could feel it and knew it was only a matter of time before he would become completely useless.

He gave Tobi and Deidara a wide berth and headed for the Uchiha Brat, "We're in over our heads, Sasuke. I suggest we make a tactical retreat."

The Brat sneered at the pathetic medic-nin hiding behind him, "Always been good at that, haven't you, Toady! Just sit back and watch!"

Itachi quickly caught the sinister tone in his younger brother and realized that Sasuke planned on releasing the Seal to the second stage. His Sharingan shifted from the three tear-drops into a black pinwheel.

It was a race between who would reach their power pinnacle, Sasuke to transform into the bloodthirsty monster feared throughout all the hidden shinobi villages and Itachi to release his terrifying Mangekyou Sharingan.

Mitsu quickly backed up as she watched the arrogant Uchiha boy rapidly mutate into a hideous demon, "Fuckin' hell! What is that?"

Kana threw her head into the black cloak around her and gripped Tobi's arms in fright, "Not a dream! Not a dream! Not a dream!"

The older brother's eyes snapped open and the black flames of Amaterasu erupted around the winged creature that snarled back at Itachi. Despite the dangerous flames consuming the area around Sasuke, all of the Akatsuki were surprised to see the boy still alive. The Cursed Seal managed to shield the intense flames from taking a complete hold, but that did not mean Sasuke was not suffering from the powerful jutsu.

Kabuto watched as The Brat sink to his knees in pain and the seal retreated from it's advanced state, forcing Sasuke's return to his normal self. The younger Uchiha barely had enough strength to lift his head to where his brother stood watching the flames flicker in the darkness. Kabuto sighed sadly as he readied himself to leave the Brat behind and figure out how to report to Orochimaru how his favorite student died. The young man was so distracted that he didn't feel an Akatsuki sneak up from behind.

Itachi closed his eyes to relieve the painful needles searing through his skull, "Kisame, forget the worm. We're leaving!" His partner grimaced as he walked away from the surprised Kabuto and sheathed Samehada.

All the Akatsuki nodded at Itachi and without glancing at the stunned medic-nin, took off running into the treetops. The group sped through the starry night with Tobi holding Kana, while Deidara had to throw a kicking and screaming Mitsu over his shoulder.

"Put me down, bastard! Do you realize how undignified this is," the Iwa-nin winced as Mitsu pulled hard on his blond ponytail, "I am not a fucking sack of potatoes... FUCK OW! What the hell?"

The burgundy kunoichi pushed herself up on her captor's back to see Deidara smile at her with one hand, "Did? Did you just bite me on the ass?" She was horrified to see the hand open up with tiny teeth and slobber a pink tongue at her.

"Maybe," Deidara smirked as he heard the incensed woman on his shoulder shriek all the louder.

Then they heard the large Mist-nin groaned painfully as he felt a strange sensation rumble through his tummy, "Uuuugh, not feelin' too good." He landed on a large limb and leaned against a trunk for support. The others also paused in their flight and returned to where Kisame was resting. Kana's onyx eyes had started to droop from true sleep while in Tobi's arms and Mitsu had stopped flailing against Deidara's grip to better hear what was going on with her captors.

"What's the matter with you," asked Deidara as he looked his fellow Akatsuki up and down, "Not exactly a good time to have a tummy ache, yeah."

"Dunno," the Mist-nin rubbed his abdomen and groaned again, "All of a sudden, it feels like my stomach's gonna explode."

"How many of my food pills did you eat, yeah?" The blond man pulled open his pouch with one hand as he hurriedly checked over his food supply.

"Um, not sure... eight or nine," Kisame winced and moaned again.

Kana sleepily glanced up at Tobi, "Aren't you supposed to eat only one or two of those a day?"

"She's right," said the orange nin with a cheerful voice, "Any more than that and Kisame-san will get the bad case of the runs."

A loud gurgle erupted from the pit of his stomach and Kisame turned a lighter shade of blue as his eyes frantically searched for a friendly bush below, "Shit, shit, shit, shit..."

"Exactly, Kisame-san and a lot of it!"

With a satisfied sneer, Mitsu watched the blue-skinned freak flicker away for some privacy, 'Well, THAT should make tracking us easy.'

Deidara and Itachi narrowed their eyes as the same thought ran through their minds as well.

A few miles away, Pakkun's snout tipped up as the wind brought a foul fishy stench to his sensitive nose, "Oh ho, ho, ho, ho! I've got good news and bad news. Good news is I've got Hoshigaki's trail."

Arching a pink eyebrow, Sakura patted the little dog on the back as it dry-heaved into a hollowed out tree trunk, "What's the bad news?"

"I couldn't track anyone else if I tried," pulling his head out of the hole, the pug waved a supple paw over his nose, "Wooo hooo!"

Kakashi chuckled as he shook his head at the dog, "You're slipping, Pakkun, but I guess it'll have to do."

Pakkun started to growl at the Copy Ninja, but it turned into a wheeze, followed by a fit of coughing, "Kami, what does this guy eat?"


	19. Chapter 19

Yes, Disella. This is a story about Neji/Saku along with Shino/Ino and Mitsu/? In order to progress the story for all three romances, the plot needed to move forward. Note the lack of lemons in the latest chapters, much to my own annoyance. BUT there is Neji/Saku action in the chapter! It took a lot of brainstorming, but I found a way. (Evil Grin)

Sorry it took so long. I had a bit of writer's block in figuring out how to do this chap, but eleven days later, it's done!

Thank you all for your reviews Disella, RyaneNight92, Nemi-the-fallen-angel, and a special shout out for firedroplet for a funny idea! This took an extra few days, but this chap is almost twice as long too. It looks like Chapter 20 will be the last and I hope to finish it in the next few days. And there will definitely be plenty of fluff and smut in it. Woo hoo!

Now I'm going to take my caffeine soaked brain cells and catch up on some reading.

I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 19**

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Kiba paused and he sniffed the air as several scents floated along the latest wind gust, "There's a group of people heading our way fast and one smells a lot like," he gave the scent another whiff, "Bacon?"

Akamaru gave his master a confused whine, followed by a harsh bark of clarification.

"Oh! A pig! Apparently, I was smelling with my stomach again," grinned Kiba and scratched the back of his messy brown hair. Everyone else groaned in annoyance, including the dog.

"I'll give you a doggie treat when we get home," grumbled Naruto as he rolled his blue eyes, "But who are the people already?"

Kiba closed his eyes to concentrate better, "It smells like six people, four male... two female and one of them is carrying the pig."

"A female carrying a pig," Kurenai shook her head in disbelief, "What is Shizune doing here?"

Akamaru barked again and with more information as the group came closer.

"I think it is Shizune-san," said Kiba with a nod, "And Akamaru says he recognizes the other female as that weird snake kunoichi from our first Chuunin Exams."

Kurenai sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Of course! Whenever there's trouble, Anko always has to in the thick of it! I wonder if Tsunade-sama is throwing a shit-fit."

"Probably," chuckled Yamato and thumbed in the new group's direction, "But we better go see what they're doing here."

Hinata activated her Byakugan for more detailed view of the newcomers then gasped in horror, "F-f-father is c-coming here!" She blushed even further when she met Hiashi's Byakugan gaze. The delicate girl fiddled her fingers, not entirely sure if it was appropriate to give him a wave.

"Interesting," said Shino calmly, "If Hyuuga-sama dared to defy the Hokage's orders, it must be for a pretty good reason."

Team Eight and half of Team Seven jumped into the tree limbs to meet with the Hodgepodge group running towards them.

Genma and Hiashi were the first to arrive to greet the teams, "Kurenai! Yamato! Were you able to find anything?"

"Yes and no," said Yamato, "We found one of Yakushi Kabuto's Dead Souls and the trail was a bust. Kakashi and the others took the second path."

"We're headed back there right now," confirmed Kurenai, then she crossed her arms when Anko and Shizune appeared with Izumo and Kotetsu not far behind, "But what exactly do you think you're doing?"

Anko rushed up to her friend, "Kabuto and Sasuke were in Konoha and followed Mitsu! They want Kana for Orochimaru!"

The brunette sighed at her impetuous friend, "Yes, we know this! And you're point?"

Hiashi cleared his throat, "We thought to offer our help since Orochimaru's subordinates were not taken into consideration when the Rescue Teams were formed."

Aside from the occasional cricket chirps, there was not a sound coming from either side. Kurenai was not sure what to say without offending the Hyuuga, but she was still ready to blow up at the over-reacting Anko.

"I see... well," scratching her head, she turned to Yamato for help.

Said shinobi shrugged, "As I see it, the more the merrier, just as long as we still get paid."

-------------

Blackness swam around Sasuke's eyes as he tried to move an arm, but the burning pain forced it back down, coupled with an agonizing shout.

"Awake so soon, Sasuke-kun," came the familiar voice of Kabuto, "Just wait a minute longer. I'm healing what I can right now, but you're gonna have to put up with a few scars."

Then the young Uchiha felt the cooling hands of the medic nin peruse through his arms, "What the hell happened?"

Kabuto chuckled as he continued to heal the Brat's burns, "What do you think happened? Got your ass handed to you by your big brother. Heh, surprise, surprise!"

Sasuke ground his teeth together and scowled at his stupidity. Of course, Itachi would have an ace up his sleeve. He was a fool to expose his cursed seal so early in the fight. Even if he had kept the seal under control, it still didn't compare to that last attack.

Sasuke decided he needed to come up with better jutsu, 'Not to mention, more reliable then Kabuto for back up. I need someone to take on that accursed Shark man or the rest of the interfering Akatsuki.'

Daring to open one eye, he looked around the darkened landscape, "The fire... where is it?"

"Ah," the medic nodded and sat back on his heels, "Well, lucky for you I had an elemental sealing scroll on me. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it did the trick. But we need to head out before the Konoha Nin back track and find us."

Sasuke twisted to one side and pulled himself upright, grimacing from every aching muscle flex, "Alright, lets go."

"Aw so soon," came a happy go-lucky voice from high in the trees, "We just got here. Tch, and it looks like the party is over too."

Sasuke and Kabuto lifted their gazes and scowled at Hatake Kakashi lounging against a tree trunk, giving them a friendly wave. High on another tree branch, Team Gai were glaring down at the two traitors and right beside Neji stood Sasuke's oldest and biggest fan girl of them all.

This time there was no heartfelt sighs breathing from the pinkette's delicate chest or a flash of emerald fire winking to entice the young Uchiha. Nope, she just stood there completely aloof... with one hand on her hips, drawing both missing shinobi to glance at the amazing legs displayed for them. Feeling their brief appreciation for her grown body, a haughty sneer curled across her petal lips that resembled the Hyuuga snob's own face, who was standing protectively next to her.

Neji's Byakugan had been active since Pakkun announced Kisame's presence and led the group to where Kabuto was in the middle of healing a messed up Sasuke. He didn't like the way both men looked at his Sakura, but if these turncoats need a lesson in etiquette, he was quite willing to provide the ass-whooping.

"And where's Naruto-kun," said Kabuto calmly as he searched the area behind his glasses, "Usually, it's pretty easy to tell when Team Seven comes around. His chakra always spikes whenever he gets around Sasuke."

Kakashi raised his forehead protector with one finger and looked down on his former student with a three tomoe eye, "Oh, he'll be here soon enough. I plan on leaving some parts of you alive so he can feel somewhat useful."

"And risk failing your primary mission? Fool around with us and you might lose your chance to get the little girl and her mother back... alive." Kabuto paused to see how the Leaf-nin would react. As usual, Sakura slightly flinched while Gai and Lee burned with fervent indignation.

"Gai-sensei," shouted Lee with a fist raised and eyes burning, "Let me deal with the traitors. I will defeat the both of them, then drag them home before the Council for sentencing!"

Gai raised an arm out in front of the boy, "No, Lee! This is between Team Seven! We must not interfere!"

Tenten's head swung back and forth between her sensei to the shinobi below, "But sensei, Kabuto isn't part of Team Seven."

Gai furrowed his fuzzy brows together, "You are right, Tenten," the green clad man pointed to the frowning Kabuto, "GET FOUR EYES!"

Caught off-guard by the taijutsu specialist's hasty command, Kabuto looked over at Sasuke, who shrugged nonchalantly and backed out of range.

Team Gai grinned evilly as all four moved to attack the scowling medic-nin. Lee disappeared from sight and was the first to reach Kabuto, "Dynamic Entry!"

His flying jump kick missed, but the silver-haired young man moved into Tenten's range. She let loose a barrage of kunai with exploding tags attached. The air filled with smoke and flying dirt that Neji easily penetrated with his vision.

He jumped behind the cloud and landed with a hand raised in Gentle Fist stance, "Eight Trigrams Sixty-four Palms!"

As Neji's jutsu hit each of Kabuto's chakra points, Sasuke narrowed his Sharingan eyes and slowly turned to leave. He didn't need this kind of trouble. He had to get back to Orochimaru for more training.

"Konichiwa, Sasuke-kun!"

He slid to one side a split second before Sakura's fist came barreling down from above. Her punch continued past him and landed on the forest floor. The ground broke apart with the enormous force driven into it, causing Sasuke jump to the trees for balance.

The pinkette glowered from below, stalked to the tree then raised a leg and kicked into the trunk. The wood splintered through the middle from where the instep of her sole hit the trunk. Sasuke was about to hop to the next tree when he found himself staring into the mixed matched eyes of his old sensei.

"You're not going anywhere, Sasuke," the Copy Nin's fists and legs flew like lightning at the young Uchiha, who back-flipped through several trees.

Sasuke raised a hand to his lips, "Fire style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" The tree tops sizzled and crimped as the fireballs darted at every spot Kakashi ran towards.

The Copy Nin sped from one tree after another, trying to take down the boy without killing him. Not far away, he could see the occasional flash of pink hair from Sakura's pursuit. Sasuke was obviously on his last legs from battle with the Akatsuki. It was only a matter of time before they would overtake him and Team Seven will have pulled off the impossible.

Then the shadows wrapped around the escaping boy, effectively erasing Sasuke from sight.

"The hell?" Kakashi stopped in his pursuit. His Sharingan scrutinized the darkness for any movement, but nothing happened. Then he felt a rush of chakra pushed into him.

"Kaka-sensei! Kaka-sensei! Are you alright now?"

Kakashi blinked to see Sakura peering up at him, concern lined her young face and he sighed in defeat, "I'm fine, Sakura. Thank you. I can't believe he slipped a genjutsu on me. He's getting better."

Pakkun appeared at his master's feet, "We are actually on the right track. Whether or not the boy wanted to lead us this way, I still picked up Hoshigaki's scent again."

Sakura nodded in determination, "Let's head back and get the others!"

When Neji ended his taijutsu, the shadowy body among the floating dust fell forward and landed at his feet with a thud. The person lying face first into the dirt was not the silver-haired medic, but a strange Grass-nin with long green hair and the pale bloated face of the long since dead.

Lee and Tenten landed next to their teammate and examined the body up close.

"How did he do that? When did he do that," Tenten scratched a dark hair bun.

Neji sighed as he gave the corpse an annoyed nudge with his foot, "Okay, why doesn't anyone update Yakushi's file? I was sure my Byakugan should have seen through that."

Gai walked up behind his student and slapped the boy a little harder than necessary, "Do not despair, Neji! Even my Eternal Rival with his Sharingan kept falling for the same trick! But we must not let these stray boys distract us from our mission!"

With soft fluttering, Sai's inky birds landed and transformed with a quick message from the second team requesting the first team to wait.

Neji and the others read then focused his vision, "Here comes the others. Seems that they were the ones with a dead end trail and they're bringing along back up..." He sharpened his vision to find Genma and his uncle leading four others to their location.

"Hiashi-sama? With Kamizuki? And they're not killing each other," Neji looked around for any more enemies, "Did I get hit with a genjutsu?"

"Who got hit with a genjutsu," asked Sakura as she and Kakashi landed next to Team Gai. Taking her black gloves off, she immediately walked up to Neji and pressed her hand to his forehead then cheeks.

Neji was about to tell the pinkette he was only joking, but her soft touches felt really good and he let her fuss over him.

"Hmph," Sakura sulked slightly after checking him, "You could've gotten at least one scratch on you."

Gai gave Kakashi a thumbs up, "It looks like the other Teams are coming this way and their bringing some guests."

Pakkun sniffed the air, "I wish I could confirm that but I'd need to dig my nose in the dirt before I can smell anyone else beside Hoshigaki."

Kakashi gave the pug a serious look, "I suggest you do it then. We need to make up for lost time."

When the other two teams arrived, Kakashi gawked as he looked over the all the shinobi, "Hmmm, this is going to be interesting!"

-----------------

When Kisame re-appeared from his little break, the Akatsuki took off at twice the pace from before. When Tobi noticed Kana had fallen asleep, he re-adjusted her body to a more comfortable position. Mitsu, on the other hand, was getting a headache from all the blood rushing to her head.

'Ugh, my head hurts like hell,' she looked over Deidara's shoulder to see the landscape fly by around the group.

Itachi feeling her eyes boring into his back, turned to glare at her.

She blinked in surprise when she saw his eyes no longer red, but dark onyx like her daughter's. She glared right back and watched his eyes start to glow red only to flicker back to black. Barely wincing, he turned around trying to keep control of the pain hitting his head.

'Heh, it looks like someone may have over-exerted himself,' Mitsu sneered as the young man ignored her and return to leading the rest of Akatsuki, 'He probably has a splitting headache worse than mine.' She looked down at one hand and checked on what chakra she had left. Whatever those bastards may have done to her chakra, they didn't quite take all of it. Careful not to let her hand visibly glow, she found a little bit more chakra.

The burgundy kunoichi sighed, 'Barely enough to do a couple low-level jutsu. Damn, not much I can do.' Looking around at the trees speeding past them, it felt like flying through a dark tunnel with barely any discernible difference in front from the rear.

Quirking an eyebrow, Mitsu smiled to herself and raised her hands in three short signs, 'Sly Mind Affect.' She held her breath while she waited for the jutsu to start. She expected someone to recognize the incredibly simple genjutsu within the first two seconds, but all simply followed the illusion. Closing her eyes, she could feel the young man carrying over his shoulder began to angle in his path. Concentrating on keeping the seams around the genjutsu tight and invisible, Mitsu was able to send them back about three kilometers before someone spoke up.

"Itachi-san, Itachi-san!"

The young man sighed as an orange mask popped into his peripheral vision, "Yes, Tobi-senpai." He didn't need this right now. His head felt like a sledgehammer was pounding itself free from the inside of his brain.

Tobi bounced towards the front beside the Uchiha, "Are we taking a new route to our safe house?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes, "What?"

Overhearing his partner's question, Deidara switched the filters of his eye-piece, "Hmmm, I think dumbshit's right, Itachi," the blond focused closer to a familiar bush that flickered like a dying flame, "It's a damn Sly Mind, yeah!"

The men jumped to the forest floor with Deidara harshly dumping Mitsu on her ass. The hard landing forced Mitsu to let go of the jutsu and the air shimmered revealing the area that Kisame had taken a private moment behind an unlucky bush. Chuckling at the simple jutsu, Tobi moved over to a tree to lay a sleepy Kana in a safe spot, while others delt Mitsu.

"I don't believe we fell for a stupid-ass genin jutsu," grumbled Kisame as the three men scowled down at the annoying woman.

"You were supposed to drain the kunoichi's chakra, Kisame," Itachi muttered dangerously at his partner.

The Shark-nin scowled back, "I did! She had hardly enough left for a shitty parlor trick, which should pose no threat to a genjutsu master such as yourself, Itachi-sama!" His sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight from his sarcastic sneer.

Itachi murmured darkly at his partner, "Kisame, go back to your bush."

Deidara re-adjusted his scope back to normal, "Well Itachi, it doesn't take very much chakra if she's efficient with it, yeah."

The Uchiha coolly observed the kunoichi, who looked back with an equally bored expression, "Kunoichi, you have delayed us for the last time. Have you ever heard of Tsukuyomi?" He grabbed her neck, forced her to stand, and pressed her into the tree trunk. From the blank look she on her face, the Akatsuki figured she was ignorant of the Uchiha's signature jutsu.

"That is a real genjutsu," Itachi tilted his head to one side while forcing his Sharingan to light up, "If your little girl proves promising, then her Sharingan may give her this jutsu. It would be fitting that you should experience you're daughter's potential."

"Sharingan has genjutsu?" Confused, Mitsu glanced at the other men, who nodded their heads in pity with smiles on their faces.

Tobi was sitting next to a sleeping Kana and waving cheerfully with one hand, "Nighty-night, Loud Lady."

Mitsu narrowed her eyes and bit hard on her bottom lip, 'Fuck! I haven't dealt with advance doujutsu in over a decade. Now what? Of course," she mentally checked over her chakra, "There is Aneko-sensei's little trick.' There was half of what she had earlier, but since it would entail only infusing her pupils, she won't need much.

The burgundy kunoichi defiantly stared into the Uchiha's deadly gaze, carefully scrutinizing his pupils for the exact moment when the jutsu is activated. If she could catch his jutsu with her sensei's trick the very moment it hit her, there would be a tiny chance she would counter the Mangekyou. She would still fall under his illusion, but he won't have nearly as much control.

She just needed to keep his mind too busy to look for a weakness, 'Heh, I'll be lucky if I only end up in a twenty year coma, but it's all I've got.'

His eyelids closed briefly then snapped open to reveal the black pinwheel, "Mangekyou!"

The fingers of her hand quickly rushed through the signs and pushed a precise amount of her chakra into her eyes.

All sound faded away and Mitsu felt the world around her disappear then melt into red skies of the Tsukuyomi and the full moon rising overhead. The crimson clouds rushing through the heavens sped through the stale air only to freeze for a second then restart at a barely discernible crawl. Getting up from the ground, Mitsu looked up at the black and grey buildings surrounding her. Narrowing her ruby eyes, she found her arms and body were dark and highlighted against the blood-colored clouds.

"Interesting. Guess genjutsu types think alike," she murmured to herself comparing her own genjutsu to this, "I suppose this is when we find out if it worked." Tiptoeing through the illusion, Mitsu felt a cold presence waiting patiently for her.

An equally dark Itachi stepped out from around a corner and studied the woman staring back at him.

"For seventy-two hours, my katana will pierce your shoulder for every second that goes by." He imagined her helplessly restrained against a tree and waited for the apparition to occur.

Nothing. The kunoichi steeled her will as his voice echoed with her second sentence.

"For seventy-one hours, fifty-five seconds, my kunai with slice down your spine for every second that goes by." Itachi narrowed his eyes and commanded the scene to start.

Secretly crowing, she raised a burgundy eyebrow and waited.

He tried again, "For seventy-one hours, forty-five seconds, a hundred shuriken will shred through your body for every second that goes by."

She yawned when Itachi's third command refused to happened, "Hmmm. Well, when you make up your mind, give me a holler. I'm gonna go sight seeing." Mitsu walked past the surprised young man and gave him a short salute.

'The hell?' Itachi watched the woman stroll across the road, 'How did she counter the Tsukuyomi? Hn, I thought it was strange she was so willing to look me in eye. I'll have to try something different.'

As she walked down the phantom city, the environment shifted with the clouds swirling at a faster pace. Then she began to recognize long since forgotten streets, "My old neighborhood? What's his game?"

She continued walking down the street until a familiar house loomed ahead, "Heh, trying to open old wounds, I see." Feeling him walk up behind her, she smirked over her shoulder.

"Since we're here, I can give you the grand tour," Mitsu strode confidently into her old home and pushed open the double doors, "Yeah, it's all here... Living room, hallway, and kitchen." Walking into the kitchen, she peered into the dark refrigerator. Itachi focused on converting the fridge into a gruesome iron maiden to grab the woman and start her screams for mercy.

"OH MY GOD!"

A small smile graced his lips as he waited for the kunoichi be pulled into the machine. Instead he saw her scurry to a drawer, grab a fork, then run back to the fridge.

She poked the fork repeatedly into the darkness, "How come now, I remember I left my ham sandwich in the fridge. Well, I was in a rush. Moving to Obaa-san's estate was a tough job. I just hope whoever bought the house had the good sense to throw the thing away." She pulled out the fork with half a sandwich and quickly stuffed both items into the imaginary garbage can.

"Blech," she wiped her hands on the back of her skirt, "Maybe I should check the rest of the house. Make sure I didn't leave behind anything else embarrassing." Growing slightly irritated now, Itachi followed her throughout the rest of the house as she searched each room. Then she came across a room obviously decorated for a little girl.

"Wow," Mitsu fingered all the lace attached to just about everything... the bedside lamps, the windows, even the bedspread was in a doilies design, "I think the lace was a bit over-board, but then my lingerie obsession had to come from somewhere."

Snickering at her own terrible taste in decor, Mitsu pulled open her dresser drawer and peeked inside, "Hey, there's my old stack of poker cards. Do you mind?" She looked over at the glowering Itachi and took his silence as acceptance. The Uchiha watched her shuffle the cards and lay them out for a game of solitaire on her bedroom floor.

Over the course of a couple hours, he tried creating one terrible nightmare after another, but the infuriating woman remained unharmed.

"You know, this is a new one for me," the burgundy kunoichi sat on the floor as she looked over her game of solitaire, "Seventy-two hours of complete and utter boredom... this is almost torture."

Sighing at the game, she slapped the last cards on the ground, "Very original, I have to say, but don't take that as pressure to improve."

With a sympathetic smile, Mitsu stood up and walked up to the ever stoic Itachi, "Being a clan prodigy myself, I understand all the pressure the old geezers like to put on a kid. Now my grandmother was like that."

She leaned against the Uchiha's shoulder casually, "Man, she could be such a bitch! Always hounding on me to stop gabbing on the phone with my friends and stick to my training. Like I wasn't already a chuunin pulling off missions that she could never do as a jounin. Honestly, the old bat was never satisfied. Dealing with her on a daily basis made moving to Konoha a relief... blah, blah, blah, blah-dee-dah-deedah..."

As Mitsu yammered endlessly about her teen angst, Itachi wondered just who was supposed to be suffering here?

Outside of Mitsu's mind, the Akatsuki observed Itachi continued staring into the kunoichi's eyes. There was something wrong. Usually after three seconds, the victim would writhe in agony before dropping unconscious. This time the woman merely leaned against the tree. Her calm face remained smooth as glass.

Tobi turned to look down when he felt a small arm hit him from the side, "Did Kana-chan have a good nap?"

The eight year old stretched as she yawned away the sleepies, "What's going on? Where's my Mom?"

Tobi pointed to where Itachi was standing in front of her stoic mother. Neither person was moving. It was as if both were hypnotized into open eyed statues.

Kana got up to wake her mother from the strange trance, but Tobi clasped a strong hand on her shoulder, "No, Kana-chan. It is safer here."

"But something's wrong," cried the girl, "Why is she just standing there? Why isn't she fighting back?"

Noting three seconds had long since passed, Tobi cocked his head to one side thoughtfully, "Tobi thinks she is."

Back inside the burgundy kunoichi's head, Mitsu giggled as she talked Itachi's ear off about her Aneko-sensei, "Once I got used to her, she was a laugh riot, you know. Kept playing all these tricks on me and never gave me a second to myself."

'Beheading... fingers chopped off one by one... A blister on that damn tongue of hers,' Itachi sighed as each scenario refused to comply, 'I need a key, something to open a weak spot.'

"When she took me out for my first beer," Mitsu continued mercilessly, "She snuck this bloodline genjutsu on me that was really freaky. It had this weird time altering affect, made me believe I was being hit on by the old Kage himself for twenty-four hours straight when all he ever did was say 'Hi' for two seconds. Oh, did that piss me off, when I figured it out. Since then, my sensei would attack me with that same damn jutsu every chance she got... especially when I got drunk. I avoided the Kage so much, the old man began to think that I hated his guts. It took me a while, but I got used to handling that genjutsu."

The woman grinned as she reminisced, "Ah, good times, good times! Of course, she was my second sensei. My first sensei was a jerk... A real lazy-ass bastard." Her ruby eyes widened slightly when she realized she might have given him an opening, "Uh, but moving on! There was this one mission with Aneko-sensei..." Mitsu kept up her mindless rambling, hoping that she didn't give the man something to work with.

But it was too late, Itachi smirked when he felt a strong thread of true resentment flow through the burgundy kunoichi's mind.

"Finally," he reached out with one finger and opened up a long buried memory.

The bedroom shifted and appeared a thirteen year old Mitsu with her long bright hair in pigtails, painting her toenails and chatting away on the phone with her friend.

"And she said, 'No way!' And I said, 'Yeah, way!' And she said, 'No! No way!' And then like we both screamed like complete bakas! It was like toootally freak-eee!"

Itachi narrowed his eyes as he listened to more idiotic babble, 'Breaking her mind will be most enjoyable.' He glanced back at the burgundy kunoichi and found her staring fearfully at the chipper teen before them.

'Damn it, Mitsu,' she scolded herself, 'You're not supposed to give him an opening!'

A woman, very similar to a grown Mitsu, walked up to the bedroom door and politely knocked on the door, "Mitsu-chan, could you hang up the phone. We need to talk."

"Sure, Mom! Later, chica!" The thirteen year old girl put down the phone and waited as the older woman sat on the bed, "So what's up?"

Mitsu's mother ran a hand down her daughter back, "Mitsu-chan, Nozomu has requested you to be transferred to a different team."

"What? Why," the shocked girl jumped up from her bed, "I'm like the best student he's got. Those two boys are nothing without me!"

Her mother tried to figure out the best way to explain the situation, "Yes, dear. You are talented, but," the older woman hesitated then groaned when she realized she couldn't tell the truth, "He said that you were holding the boys back, that they were becoming too dependent on you."

The thirteen year old shook her head furiously, "That's bullshit!"

"Mitsu," her mother gaped at the furious girl, "Where did you pick up such foul language?"

Mitsu smirked as she haughtily placed her hands on her hips, "Nozomu-sensei of course. And you know what! I'm gonna have little talk with him in his own language!" The thirteen year old jumped out her bedroom door and ran for her sensei's apartment.

"Nozomu-sensei, Nozomu-sensei! Open up! What the hell is all this shit about transferring me to another team?" She kept banging on the wood with her fists until a man in his late twenties pulled open the door.

His shaggy dark hair covered half his face with one sad brown eye looking down at his favorite student, "Hello, Mitsu-chan."

"What the fuck is going on," the young girl shouted at the man she adored for the past year, "How could you say that I was holding the boys back? Whatever mistakes those two bakas make are their own. I just pick up the slack!"

The man lowered his head in frustration, "I can't teach you anymore, Mitsu-chan. It's for the best. Aneko is a genjutsu specialist and she will be the one training you from now on."

"No, no, no," the distraught thirteen year old grasped the man's hand in a last attempt to change his mind, "I want to stay with you!" The man quickly ripped his hand from hers and backed away as if her touch burned him.

"The decision has been approved by the Kage," he refused to look into her ruby eyes and growled, "You were not a good fit for this team and you never will be. Go away, Mitsu!"

The heartbroken girl watched her sensei reach for a bottle of sake from the floor then slammed the door in her face, "Sensei! Sensei!"

Mitsu and Itachi watched the little girl cry and scream at the doorstep, while the man on the other side was probably getting stone drunk. The burgundy kunoichi frowned at the young girl, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and anger for believing the man actually cared about her.

Feeling Itachi's eyes scrutinize her every move, she forced her mind to clear the growing anger caused by that memory. The last thing she wanted was for the Uchiha to find something truly dangerous to use against her.

Mitsu was now tired of her trip down memory lane and wanted out of this time-sink. Gathering what little chakra left, she prepared to disrupt the flow of her network and break out of this mental prison.

She turned to the illusionary young man at her side and said, "You think that you've got an opening just by finding that pathetic excuse of a memory. Please! Let's watch poor little Mitsu-chan get kicked to the curb by her sensei so she can be trained by a genjutsu legend."

"Boo..." she cracked the knuckles of her glowing hand, "Hoo..." her fist pulled back as she stared into Itachi's crimson eyes, "Hoo!" The moment she felt her fist smash into the imaginary Itachi's face was when her ruby eyes snapped open to the real world.

-------------------------------------------------------------

One minute later, Mitsu woke up from the nightmare to see a thoroughly irritated Itachi rub his slightly pink jaw. The young man glared at the kunoichi who was breathing heavily from near mental exhaustion.

Everyone was astonished to see Itachi actually get hit. It was a pathetic slap from a weak woman, but her hand came out of nowhere and hit the mentally occupied Uchiha. Even Kana was surprised to see her mother land a hit while unconscious.

"I'm impressed," said the older Uchiha as they all watched her massage her throbbing head, "You actually managed to break the jutsu, but that doesn't mean you're going to survive the night."

With her head painfully throbbing, Mitsu scowled in hate, "Blow it out your ass, bastard. You may beat the hell out of me with Taijutsu and Ninjutsu, but I've been trained for shit like that all my life. I know using that jutsu is wearing you down," she felt her stomach lurch as she leaned to one side, "How long will it be now before the pain takes over and you drop unconscious?"

Tobi happily clapped his hands and hopped up from the ground, "Ooh! Ooh! She's calling Itachi-san out! Maybe Tobi should give it a go!"

"No," said Itachi as he once again pushed away the intense pain, "I will do it. And this time kunoichi, you are not getting a word out of that mouth."

Tempting the Uchiha to waste more time, Mitsu slowly appraised the twenty year old from top to bottom with her ruby eyes, and huskily whispered, "Show me what you got little man."

Deidara grinned at his comrades as he sat down to watch this, "Oh, this is gonna be good, yeah! Maybe this time it'll be Itachi's turn to get mind-fucked!"

Tobi looked like he was just as excited as his partner to see this face off, but the Mist nin was feeling worried for his partner. Itachi hardly ever needed to use his Mangekyou twice in one day, mush less three times.

Mitsu saw him press his eyes to work one more time and willingly surrendered to the jutsu, 'Good bye, world.'

Once again, she saw the rising full moon surrounded by the blood red skies, but this time she had no chakra to use and no strength to fight back.

Itachi was able to tear apart her mind with ease and she found herself in the middle of one hell after another... A kunai digging through the skin of her back to come up with spinal nerves wound around the edge... Thousands of shuriken repeatedly hitting every inch of her helpless body... a katana piercing her stomach then slid down her middle, angling several times as it traveled further.

Mitsu willingly failed to block all the pain induced by the jutsu and accepted every torturous illusion without a fight. She knew he wanted to watch her break and it was annoying him to find her enduring.

Searching her mind for new torture, Itachi wanted something unique for the yielding kunoichi. Then he found an interesting nightmare that only he could complete or more specifically, his thirteen year old memories could fully accomplish.

The Tsukuyomi changed and Mitsu was astonished to find the stinging pain of a kunai cutting its way across her throat, disintegrate into a cloud of birds. Her head swivilled around to see a young Itachi staring down from a tree limb. Following his line of sight, Mitsu saw a home where the front door had been carelessly left open. Walking away from the boy, Mitsu peaked through and walked inside the door. Once she reached the hall, Mitsu realized it was the same home she found her late husband's bloodstains.

"Oh gods no," she whispered.

She began to back away from the home, but the front door slammed before her and refused to budge. Mitsu spun her head around when her ears heard cheerful laughter come from the living room. Nowhere else to go, she followed the happy sounds.

Her eyes began to tear as she saw her beloved Keitaro sitting with his parents, carrying on a casual conversation and not paying an attention to Mitsu or the thirteen year old Itachi just outside the door.

An older man that Mitsu surmised to be Kisho, sat his tea down and grinned at his son, "So where's this photo of your bride? I want to see the girl who caught my playboy son's attention!"

Keitaro chuckled as he pulled out his wedding photograph from a scroll and handed it to his father.

"So young... I can see why you snatched this one up in a hurry," nodded Kisho with a smile and handed the picture back, "Used the ol' Uchiha charm, did you?"

His son let out an exasperated groan while his eyes lingered over the image of Mitsu, "Oh, she was a toughie. I had to ask her grandmother for advice."

Keitaro's mother turned around from the kitchen sink as she wiped her hands dry, "Let me see! Let me see! Oh Keitaro, she's gorgeous," gushed Sorano excitedly while holding the picture up to the light, "Our grand baby is going to be beautiful!"

Kisho sighed with an eye roll, "All grand babies are always beautiful, Sorano," he leaned over as he picked up his cup and whispered to his son, "Your mother's sowing circle is never gonna here the end of this."

Keitaro just grinned as his gleeful mother handed back the photo. Even though she knew it was an illusion meant to hurt her, Mitsu couldn't help but softly smile at her dear husband and his family.

"You don't have to worry about the Uchiha Elders, son," said Kisho confidently, "With the girl's kunoichi history, even Fugaku will have a hard time objecting to the marriage."

"Fugaku's still tight-assed as ever, huh," grumbled Keitaro as he tucked the photo into the scroll and rolled it back up, "If he isn't careful, that prodigy son of his is gonna grow a backbone and turn Missing-Nin just to spite his father."

Kisho sighed darkly as he sipped at his tea, "The boy's good at what he does, no question there... but rumors have been going around. And I'm sorry to say, an investigation has been issued about Itachi involved with Shisui's death."

Then Mitsu felt an invisible rush of air fly past her. The young Itachi appeared from the shadows with crimson eyes glowing. She automatically cried out a warning to the illusionary family, but her voice was silenced with the cries of the victims.

Blood sprayed through the room as the boy sliced from one person to the next. Kisho and Sorano were slaughtered quickly and Keitaro barely had time to stand up from his seat before Itachi's sword ran through him. Mitsu screamed at the top of her lungs and reached out, feeling all the guilt and uselessness from nine years ago. The young Itachi pushed Keitaro off his sword with one foot, leaving the older man to die a slow death on the floor.

Itachi broke the Mangekyou three seconds later and a small smile crossed his face when the woman give a long bloodcurdling scream then fall forward into the dirt unconscious.

All four Leaf Teams froze in their flight when they heard a woman's voice cry out in the darkness.

"Mitsu," whispered Izumo as he and Hiashi shared a frightened glance, "Please be alive, Mitsu."

Naruto pushed twice as much chakra into his feet and rushed ahead of the others, "Come on, people. Let's move!"

--------------------

Not daring to lift her head, the air around Mitsu darkened and all she could see was the blood creeping across the floor. As the puddle grew, the edge reached to her knees and her hand automatically reached out to touch it. Instead of passing through it as she expected, the fluid coated the tips of her fingers.

"How," her eyes followed the flow back to its source and found her husband's dying hand stretched out towards her, "Keitaro-kun?" Mitsu frantically crawled through the blood to grab his hand and felt the tiniest of twitches.

Before she could get closer, everything dissolved into a flock of black birds and a vortex swirled around her. When the walls stopped spinning, Mitsu looked around and she found herself kneeling next to her husband and his family.

They were back to conversing around the low table, oblivious to the woman swinging her head at the renewed vision.

"And I'm sorry to say," said Kisho again, "An investigation has been issued about Itachi involved with Shisui's death."

Mitsu jumped to her feet, "No!" This time she was in the middle of the carnage with drops of blood splattering her face and clothes. She saw the boy turn to run his sword through Keitaro and without thinking, she threw herself in front of the tip.

In the real world, Mitsu's chest jerked and a tiny stream of blood dribbled from her lips and down her cheek.

The illusionary katana easily slid into her chest. She felt the sharp blade exit her back and smoothly pierce the man behind her. Itachi pulled his sword out of a shocked Mitsu then disappeared to kill another household. With one hand covering her spouting wound, Mitsu's body shuddered as she forced herself to turn around. Keitaro had already sunk to the floor and weakly stretching for her hand. Softly gazing at him, she slowly sunk to his side and watched the light in his eyes die away.

'Why don't I feel any more pain? Everything is so cold now,' she also wondered where the grown personification of Itachi had gone. She was sure he wanted to see this, but the woman could no longer feel him inside her mind.

As her hand failed to stop the blood flow, her own vision went dark, 'If he's gone, why am I still here? I guess I really am dying. Maybe... this is how it should've been.' Her last glimpse was of Keitaro's face and strangely she felt at peace.

Everything faded to darkness...

"Fugaku's still tight-assed as ever, huh," Waking to hear her husband's voice, Mitsu blinked as Keitaro tucked their wedding photo into the scroll, "If he isn't careful, that prodigy son of his is gonna grow a backbone and turn Missing-Nin just to spite his father."

-------------------------------

Kana flinched in Tobi's grip when she heard her mother's scream. The midnight-haired girl flickered from the shinobi's grip and re-appeared next to Mitsu's body.

"Mom!" She pushed her mother to face up and checked for breath and heartbeat. Both were slow and weak as if the kunoichi was merely sleeping. She jerked back in surprise when Mitsu trembled slightly then a trickle of blood came from the corner of the woman's lips.

The Akatsuki silently watched as Kana thoroughly examined her mother and carefully wipe the blood from her mother's cheek.

"Whatever you did to her," whispered the little girl with midnight hair hanging over her eyes, "She'll break it and kick your ass seven ways from Sunday."

Kisame chuckled openly, "Optimistic kid there. You may have to work on getting rid of that, Itachi."

"You assume I have time to raise a child," murmured Itachi as he rubbed his temples with the incredible migraine raging through his head, "It won't matter since her future will be determined by Leader-sama."

Tobi tapped Itachi on the shoulder, "Deidara-senpai will make a good Mama for Kana-chan."

The blond man sputtered in horror, "EXCUSE ME? I DON'T THINK SO, YEAH!"

A big grin grew on Kisame's face, "Aw come on, Deidara-chan. You're grooming skills are impeccable. I'm sure if you dig deep enough, you'll find maternal instincts in there somewhere."

'"I'll DIG YOU SIX FEET DEEP, YEAH!" Then the Iwa-nin backed away from the piercing eyes of Itachi, "I-I-I mean, I'm a full Akatsuki member too. Tobi and I have other responsibilities, missions, Jinchuuriki to capture, and stuff, yeah! Lots of stuff!"

"Tobi won't mind, Senpai," said the orange shinobi, "Come, Kana-chan." Tobi reached out only to have the little girl slap away the gloved hand.

"I am not leaving with any of you!" Kana reached from behind and pulled out a kunai she lifted from Tobi's arsenal.

The four men watched her crouch in a defensive stance, her tiny Sharingan eyes glowing in the dark.

Kisame sighed tiredly, "Is she really worth all this trouble, Itachi?"

The Uchiha glanced at the orange masked shinobi, who was already circling the stubborn moppet, "Apparently."

"Kana-chan said she wanted tips to hurt Sasuke-san," said Tobi as he knelt next to her, "I can teach you how to do that and a lot more."

The girl huffed at the Akatsuki, "All I want right now is to hurt ALL of you, especially him." She pointed the kunai tip at the older Uchiha.

Tobi leaned closer to the little girl's ear, but the whisper was still caught by the other three men, "If you leave with us, you just might someday."

Deidara and Kisame suddenly felt a little unsettled. It was bad enough having to deal with Itachi and his annoying little brother, but a female Uchiha with Mangekyou would be a whole new world of trouble... especially when puberty hits. For starters, they'd have to hide for five days out of every month.

Kana's eyes returned to their onyx-selves as she carefully rolled the words the man had just said. Turning around, she studied the mask intently and tried to look through the small eye hole.

"You're..." she peered closer to Tobi, not entirely sure if she was right, "Different from earlier."

The mask chuckled and whispered right next to her ear, "My dear, you figured out what three-quarters of the Akatsuki have yet to realize, but don't tell Deidara-senpai. Itachi isn't the only one who likes to play head games."

Kana took a quick look at the Iwa-nin and recalled how Tobi expertly positioned her while they flew through the air, "Hn, what a dumbshit."

Tobi chuckled as he also watched his partner, "So Kana-chan?"

The midnight moppet looked down at her mother's motionless body and frowned in determination, "No. I'm not going anywhere."

Sighing at Kana's obstinate attitude, Tobi resigned himself to scoop up the little girl with or without her consent, then he quickly lifted his head to the treetops.

"Itachi-san," Tobi's cheerful demeanor returned, "We have company."

"Over here! We're over here," Kana jumped to her feet and searched the shadows for Leaf-imprinted metal glinting in the moonlight.

"No, no, no, Kana-chan," the orange nin grabbed the girl and held her tightly, "She needs to stay out of the way."

The rest of the Akatsuki nodded as they also felt the massive surge of chakra heading for them. Diedara's hands were already chewing some C-2 clay while Samehada was unwrapped and swinging in Kisame's hand.

"Let go of her, bastard," yelled fifty Naruto clones as they barreled out of the night sky. Several ganged up on each Akatsuki, but most dog piled on Deidara. Puffs of smoke filled the air as each missing nin kicked away one clone after another.

Through the smoke, Gai flew with a loud bellow and bright grin on his face, "Dynamic Action!" The Green Beast automatically targeted Kisame and launched some of his favorite strikes at the big man.

The Shark-nin sneered as he blocked all the kicks and punches with Samehada, "Hah! At least, he remembers me now!"

Gai pulled back from his attack to regain his fighting stance and gave the sword-wielding Akatsuki a penetrating squint, "Forgive me, but you are?"

All the Akatsuki glared at the spandex-covered man and blinked in disbelief. Even the Naruto clones paused in their assaults to glance at Gai.

"Oh hell no," cried Kisame as he swung Samehada at Gai's head, "You ain't doin' this to me again!" As the Mist nin rampaged at the nimble Green Beast, several roaring panthers bounded out of the shadows then pounced on Itachi.

The Uchiha sliced one open with a kunai and it melted back into ink. The others tried to attach themselves to his legs and back, but his kunai strikes kept up with their attacks. Right before the last panther dissolved, two hands broke through the ground to grab at Itachi's heels, but the shinobi lept away as Kakashi emerged from the forest floor.

"Hatake Kakashi. Of course, you'd be here," Itachi narrowed his double Sharingan at the Copy Nin's single. The Uchiha had to be careful. He couldn't risk Kakashi figuring out that his Mangekyou was severely hampered.

He waited for the Copy Nin to make the first move and it was a doozy. The air swirled and crackled with intense chakra as Kakashi brought out his Chidori then ran for the dangerous Uchiha.

-------------------------------------

Back in the shadows, Yamato turned to the Hodgepodge Team, "Remember to find Mitsu and Kana then when possible get them out."

"Come on sensei," grinned Naruto to the dark-haired man, "Hinata is counting on us!" The real Naruto and Yamato ran out of the shadows at Deidara, followed by Lee and Tenten.

The Iwa-nin's exploding sparrows drew away from their creator to converge on the advancing shinobi. Tenten released several shuriken from her scroll to detonate the sparrows early, but some made it through. Yamato quickly raised his hands and a wooden half dome rose and absorbed the numerous blasts.

Yamato created a clone to look around the dome, "He's refueling. We need to go now!" Taking advantage of the Pyro's still chewing hands, Lee blurred out of the dome along with several more clones of Naruto, and Yamato's own wood clone. They all poured from behind the wood barrier to swamp Deidara, who was forced to evade until his spiders came to fruition.

When the creations emerged he through them out at Yamato, Lee, and Tenten. The Yamato clone covered Tenten and took the brunt of the explosion while Lee merely avoided the spiders and headed straight for the Iwa nin.

As the Leaf nin were busy with the spiders, Deidara activated his bird and soared over their heads.

The midnight moppet struggled in the orange nin's arms as she watched the shinobi fight all around her, "Let me go! Let me go!"

"Did Kana-chan want her first lesson," said Tobi in an attempt to quell the wiggling girl, "Tobi can teach her one of the Uchiha jutsu, but she needs to calm down."

Not sure if she should trust him, the eight year old stopped her squirming and looked up at him, "For real this time?"

The mask nodded, "Just do as I say, relax, and watch Itachi-san."

As Kana relaxed in Tobi's grip, her eyes stayed on Itachi as the orange Akatsuki's voice whispered in her ears, "Very good. Take long even breaths until your heartbeat slows."

"That's it. Just concentrate on your enemy and watch him carefully. It's not enough to remember his face. Memorize his jutsu, his movements, even the intonations of his words. That way you can recognize him when the time comes."

Not taking her eyes off the Uchiha the eight year old focused as the missing nin dodged Kakashi's shuriken, Kana whispered back, "When the time comes for what?"

"To kill, of course. That is what you want... to kill Itachi." From behind his mask, Tobi saw a small smile cross the little girl's pale face as her eyes glowed at the prospect of tearing the older Uchiha apart.

"Yeah," she murmured softly, "That's what I want."

Tobi's gloved hands held up Kana's own and pressed them into a starting hand sign, "Now it's just like a Fireball jutsu..."

Itachi was flipping over Kakashi's head when his crimson eyes picked up several small fireballs heading straight for him. Feeling the speeding heat, he dodged one fireball after another. Itachi caught from the corner of his eyes, the littlest Uchiha with a raised fist to her lips and aiming her jutsu directly at him. Tobi was right behind her carefully directing her aim with his words.

Dodging the last of Kana's Phoenix Flower, Itachi blocked a clone of the Copy Nin that was hiding from behind a tree, 'I hope Tobi-senpai got what he wanted.'

The masked nin gave the exhausted little girl a pat on the shoulders, "Very good for the first time, Kana-chan." He looked down at Kana, who tiredly blinked up at his mask. She could swear she saw a crimson eye with three black tear drops winking back at her.

Before she got a word out, a vortex of pink petals enveloped the both of them and made her head spin. A minute later, the surprised eight year old looked around to find herself being passed from Kurenai's arms to Shizune.

"It's okay, Kana-chan," said the medic-nin, "Just stay here with me and Genma." Looking at both at Shizune and Genma smiling down at her, the eight year old sighed in relief. Making sure the girl was safe, Kurenai turned around and headed right back to where Tobi had stood up to dispel the genjutsu.

The orange nin took a step to where Shizune and Kana were hiding, but was blocked by a wall of Destruction Beetles that immediately surrounded him. Shino directed his beetles to consume as much chakra as possible, but he recognized the blur of hand signs formed by the black gloves.

'Return,' commanded the young Aburame. The Beetles quickly lifted as Tobi let loose a Fire Dragon Flame Projectile in his direction. Shino jumped up and out to avoid the fire stream chasing after him.

"Go Akamaru," Kiba and the dog nin ran at the masked nin. Akamaru had turned bright red from his soldier pill and Kiba was in his Man Beast form. With claws extended and increased agility, Kiba and Akamaru snapped and kicked at Tobi, diverting his attention away from Shino.

Kurenai tried tying the masked nin down with Death Tree Bind or her Flower Petal Dissolve, but the jutsu would never catch. She had to fall back on her taijutsu to support Kiba and Shino, but the orange Akatsuki kept getting up despite all their efforts.

Izumo and Kotetsu were slipping behind the trees looking for Mitsu, but they had to keep evading all the missed jutsu and attacks.

"Damn it," growled Kotetsu, "Where the hell is she?" They ducked when another of Tobi's fire projectiles missed Kiba and Shino.

From the bright flame illuminating the air, Izumo caught a flash of burgundy hair spilling on the ground from behind a large tree trunk, "Over there!" The chuunin ran to the tree to find Mitsu lying next to a huge tree root. Izumo checked for a pulse and widened one of her eye lids.

Both men froze when they felt her body shudder for a moment and watched in horror as fresh blood on her lips coated over a trail of dried blood.

"Shit, she's caught in a genjutsu," whispered Kotetsu and wiped the blood away.

Izumo picked up Mitsu in his arms and cradled her close as they ran out of battle range, "Maybe Sakura-san can do something."

-------------------------------------------

Further out, Kakashi ducked from Itachi's reverse heel kick then sent his own leg out in a crescent kick from below. Weaving in and out among the fighting shinobi, Sakura kept one eye on Kakashi in case he needed her while looking for Mitsu, who probably needed medical attention. Sai sat back among the trees and sent a steady stream of ink creations to distract the Uchiha, who quickly dispatched them with ease.

Soon the Leaf Artist came across pages already filled with artwork for time-sensitive situations. Without looking closely, the boy simply raised his hands and activated the pictures. Black birds emerged in a huge flocks, but so did a couple more images.

"Neji!" A familiar voice of a girl screamed from the middle of the fracas.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked down at the abstract porno brought to life. A very naked ink Sakura clone arched and thrashed on the ground as her climax crashed into her. A Neji clone kept thrusting through until the screaming subsided. The Sakura clone with half-lidded eyes, gazed up at her Neji clone as they reclined on the forest floor.

A mortified Sakura sought out Neji, who's mouth was fixed open while he sat in his hiding spot among the treetops. Her head snapped back to his ink clone, who leaned over and whispered in the ink Sakura's ear, "I'm not done with you yet..." And the ink Neji accelerated his thrusting.

Like everyone else, Sai watched the scene in shock, "Huh... I didn't know I could do that. Apparently, I used this notebook that night."

Not a word was said among Leaf and Akatsuki, except for a faint whirring noise followed by several clicks coming from Deidara's camera.

The Akatsuki raised their eyebrows as the Neji clone stretched a hand between his Sakura's legs, "Remember, turnabout is fair play or should I say foreplay."

From the shadows, Hiashi noticed how the Neji clone gathered chakra into it's fingers to stimulate the Sakura clone and raised a single eyebrow at his prodigy nephew.

"Holy shit, Neji," cried the ink Sakura as it went into convulsions of an orgasmic high.

Kana's mouth had dropped open and her dark eyes were wide as saucers, "What's Neji-san doing to Sakura-sensei?"

Gasping in horror, Shizune quickly covered the little girl's eyes and stuttered out a weak, "T-to tell you the truth," she titled her head, "I'm not quite sure."

Genma leaned down and whispered in the blushing medic's ear, "That would be a 'Flying V'."

Sakura woke from her shock and screamed, "OH MY GOD, SAI," the pinkette flickered to the boy's side and shook him violently, "GET RID OF IT! DISPEL IT NOW!"

"Of course," With a faux smile, Sai dispelled the jutsu then activated an ink tiger, "Alright everyone, carry on."

Everyone blinked at each other then resumed their fighting.

As the Mist nin swung Samehada at Gai, Kisame up at Deidara, "Please, tell me you got all that."

The red light blinking in his eye piece stopped blinking and the Iwa-nin nodded with a shit-eating grin on his face, "Oh yeah!"

Grinning with all his sharp teeth, Kisame was about to sever Gai's leg when he found himself trapped against a tree with strong vines wrapped around him, "What? Another genjutsu! I have had my fill of genjutsu for today!" He was about to bite down on his tongue when Neji jumped out of the trees with his pearl eyes activated.

"Eight Trigrams One-Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!"

Kisame was jerked back numerous times as his enormous chakra was closed off one point at a time. The young Hyuuga didn't get time to finish hitting all of the Akatsuki points, but it reduced his chakra significantly.

Neji returned to a defensive stance as he watched the Shark nin fall down then slowly pick himself up, "Hn... pervert."

"Not bad, Neji... on both accounts. Now I am off to save My Eternal Rival," Gai gave his student a thumbs up before jumping next to Kakashi, who was caught in a stalemate with Itachi.

---------------------------------------------------

Naruto, Tenten, and Lee had to return with Yamato to his wood dome when Deidara rained bombs from above.

"Damn, it," growled Naruto, "We need to get him back down here. Any ideas?"

Tenten turned to Lee, who nodded in determination, "Just leave it to us." The Weapon Mistress ran out into the open and carefully judged the speed and distance Deidara was flying above the treetops.

She pulled out two small scrolls from her pack and knelt down on the ground, placing the scrolls on either side. Activating her jutsu, she and the open scrolls twirled into the air and released a barrage of weapons at the clay bird.

Deidara's scope helped him keep up with the assaults from Tenten's Rising Twin Dragons, but he didn't catch how Lee blurred into the air behind him. The Green Leaf-nin easily weaved between the flying weaponry then wrapped his hand bandages around the one of the Iwa-nin's arm.

"I have you now," Lee tightened his grip and yanked down with all his strength.

Deidara grit his teeth as he was pulled backwards and wrapped up like a mummy. He landed on the soundly hit the ground, but he had enough strength to spin away from Lee's punch.

As he quickly freed himself from the bindings, he frowned at the bushy-browed boy, "You're annoying, yeah!"

"Byakugan!"

Deidara turned around in surprise, but was caught in the flurry of Hinata's Gentle Fist blows. The kunoichi finished the last of her hits then backed up when Yamato and Naruto ran to block any retaliating strikes.

The Iwa-nin grunted as he pulled himself up, "Let me rephrase that... SHE'S annoying, yeah!" He threw out more sparrows from his hands and watched them explode in the Leaf-nin's faces

Flashes of fire and thundering blows were observed from afar as the Leaf shinobi took on the Akatsuki.

"It looks like they're having fun down there," said Kabuto to a complacent Sasuke, "This would be perfect. Slip in take the girl when everyone, especially your brother, is too busy realize she's gone."

Sasuke scowled at the medic-nin, "This will be our last attempt, Boot licker. I don't want to waste anymore time on this mission."

"Then don't screw it up this time," Kabuto frowned and blurred out of sight. The Sound medic appeared next to Genma then ducked from the chakra enhanced needles flying for his head. The silver-haired man sneered as he swung his scalpel hands at the jounin.

Sasuke flickered out of the tree and landed next to Shizune, who pulled Kana behind her and backed away. She opened up her sleeve and launched senbons at the young Uchiha boy, but his kusanagi blocked every one.

He lifted one arm and a snake shot out and encircled Shizune, binding her arms to her body.

"Kana run," the woman shouted to the little girl, who was failing to build up chakra for another Phoenix Flower. Kana gulped then took off running.

Sasuke chased after the eight year old and easily caught her under one arm.

Itachi looked over his shoulder when he heard Kana's cursing and screaming. Spinning from Gai's punch, he frowned and pulled out a kunai. The older Uchiha brother threw the weapon at the pair then blocked Kakashi's kick.

The kunai sailed through the air with precise aim. Sasuke's face darkened and Kana gasped. Their Sharingan easily predicted the line of sight was directed straight for between the little girl's eyes. Then both were knocked over by a tremendous force from one side, pushing them into the dirt. Hiashi sent another wave of chakra from his Empty Palm jutsu and sent the kunai spinning into another tree.

Several snakes appeared out of the shadows and wrapped themselves tightly around Sasuke's hands and neck. Flickering next to them, Anko stuck her tongue out as she scooped up Kana and sent out a heel at the boy's head before retreating behind Hiashi.

"OH YEAH," jeered Anko as she waved to Sasuke, "Who's Miss Bad Ass Snake Jounin!"

Sasuke broke through the snakes and stood up to attack the two shinobi, but found his feet bound to the ground, "Hn!"

Sneering at the incoming chuunin, he ducked from Kotetsu and Izumo's twin giant kunai slashing from either side. He blocked and parried their weapons, while pushing chakra into his feet. He decided this was enough. If the Akatsuki weren't getting in his way, the Konoha nin were gumming up the works. He didn't have time for this shit.

"Forget it! They want her so badly, they can keep her. You can stay here if you want Toady, but I'm out of here!"

Giving in to logic, Kabuto narrowed his dark eyes at Genma and with a sly smile, backed out with Sasuke to disappear into the night.

Back among the main fights, Kurenai went flying through the air until her back hit a tree trunk.

"Are you alright, Kurenai-sensei?" Shino quickly summoned his beetles to create a temporary shield while his sensei recovered from Tobi's punch.

The masked nin's hands blurred so fast that Shino couldn't see what jutsu the Akatsuki created. It seemed like nothing was done. He waited for his beetles to alert him to a genjutsu, but they remained intent on the missing nin before them.

Tobi ran for the living shield and tried to punch through them. The beetles moved to throw him off balance then tried to swarm around his arm. He flickered away leaving behind the confused swarm.

Still feeling a bit dizzy, Kurenai stood up to look around and saw Tobi diving on top of the two Leaf-nin, "Shino!"

"Gatsuga!" Kiba and Akamaru's twin cyclones knocked into Tobi with tremendous force.

As Team Eight were busy with his clone, the real Tobi traveled underground to where Anko was guarding Kana.

Anko looked down at the little girl who had turned strangely silent, "Kana-chan, what's wrong?"

"Anko-san, do any other kekkei genkai have red eyes with black tomoe?"

The snake kunoichi shook her head, "No. Only the Uchiha Clan. Why do you ask?"

Kana watched the orange shinobi throw Kiba to the ground then take on one of Shino's bug clones, "Take long even breaths until your heartbeat slows," she whispered.

She closed her dark eyes and opened them with her Sharingan to study Tobi's clone, "Concentrate on your enemy and watch him carefully."

The masked Akatsuki stilled under the ground as he listened to Kana repeat his words, "Memorize his jutsu, his movements, even the intonations of his words. That way you can recognize him when the time comes."

Anko turned around to look at Kana, "When the time comes? Kana-chan, who taught you that?"

Tensing to leap out of the ground and kill them both, Tobi waited for the little girl to reveal his long-kept secret.

Kana calmly blinked away her Sharingan and smiled up at the curious snake jounin, "Nobody, Anko-san. It was nothing."

'Hn, interesting,' Tobi turned away and headed for Itachi's chakra signature. He burrowed out of the ground from behind a bush and waited for Itachi to get close.

When the young man created several clones to keep Kakashi and Gai busy, Itachi slipped to where Tobi was hiding, "Well?"

The orange mask nodded, "Time to go. She stays with them." Tobi then dispelled his clone from Team Eight then disappeared back under the forest floor.

Confused for only a second, Itachi merely sighed then reappeared among his clones, "Kisame! Deidara! Time to go!"

Kisame crashed his enormous sword through a tree when it missed Neji then backed up to where his was waiting, "What? Why?"

Ducking from Gai's butterfly kick, Itachi simply muttered under his breath, "We got what was needed."

"Alright then," The Mist nin rushed through the hand signs and released his jutsu, "Water Release! Exploding Water Shockwave!" His mouth opened and a torrent of water emerged, creating a small flood.

Anko immediately grabbed Kana while Izumo carried the unconscious Mitsu high into the air to land in the taller trees.

The team fighting Deidara also dispersed into the treetops, allowing the Pyro to activate a new bird. When Deidara swooped down, Itachi and Kisame jumped into the air and grabbed the clay bird's claws.

"Where's Tobi, yeah," shouted the Iwa-nin.

Itachi looked up at the blond man, "He's underground. He'll catch up at the safe house."

All the Leaf-nin scowled as they watched the three Akatsuki escape.

Finding Izumo and Kotetsu a few trees away, Anko put Kana on her back then jumped out of theirs to land on the huge branch, "Did you find her?"

The chuunin pulled back to reveal Mitsu lying safe next to them. Kana excitedly jumped off Anko's back and ran for her mother.

"Mom! Wake up! Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-sensei came to rescue us. And you are not gonna believe this, but Izumo-kun's here too with Hyuuga-sama. Oh, you should've seen me! I was hurling fireballs at Itachi-teme like spit wads and one of those bastards actually spit up a lake. And... and..." Kana looked down when Mitsu remained silent then shook her mother's limp shoulders a little harder to find no response.

"Mom, you can wake up now! We're going home." The girl tried to pull her mother up only to drop the woman's listless body with a heavy thud.

"Mom," Kana pressed her hands on either side of Mitsu's face to look into empty eyes.

"Mom?"

Izumo knelt behind the confused little girl and reached out with both arms to draw her away.


	20. Chapter 20

I do not own Naruto

It has been a fun four months with my first fanfic, but other projects and plot lines are calling out to me. I'm planning on going back to fix some minor errors, maybe add some bits to the past chapters over the next week. I don't think I have it in me to do another novella anytime soon, but I do plan on writing plenty of one-shots. So keep your heads up!

And now the conclusion that answers all those confusing bits in the past chapters. Hopefully it covers everything. If it seems like I'm drawing out the ending, sorry about that. I just wanted to tie up loose ends and end this story with a bang! (Okay, so Deidara is one of my fav characters. I'm a sucker for blue-eyed blond guys! )

Also to prevent confusion, I'm using the term 'Concordance' with the definition- a harmonious state of things in general and of their properties (as of colors and sounds); congruity of parts with one another and with the whole

NEW AN: Thank you hpnerdnarutonut, Kipling, Kiyasume, tovah, katerianneshale and wickeddone43 for your reviews!

My apologies for those who read SSIGO and were looking for the new lemons. I wanted to get that story out of the way first, but here they are now, I denoted them with a !!. ;-)

Enjoy!

**Chapter 20 **

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Rushing water churned below the trees, shaking the trunks that the Konoha nins were taking shelter. A few minutes later, the jutsu dispelled itself and the forest floor was once again dry. Back on the ground, Kakashi did a counting of heads, but everyone turned their attention to the Chuunin bringing the Uchihas down. Kotetsu carried Kana on his back while Izumo laid the comatose Mitsu in front of the two medic-nin.

"She keeps coughing up blood," Izumo said with slight panic in his voice, "We think its a genjutsu, but pushing chakra into her isn't working."

Kakashi tightened a fist in frustration as he looked down at the burgundy kunoichi, "Itachi's Tsukuyomi is a nasty piece of work. Sakura, did Tsunade-sama prepare you on how to deal with this?"

The pinkette nodded and knelt in front of Mitsu. The others backed up a fair distance to let the young medic work. Both of her hands glowed green and she pushed the healing chakra into Mitsu's forehead. Sakura furrowed her pink brows as she repaired the intricate chakra network within the kunoichi. When she finished correcting the flow, the pinkette worked on healing the internal damage caused by the Tsukuyomi.

Dissolving the last blood clot, Sakura pulled back her hands and looked the patient over in satisfaction, "There! All the damage is healed. Now all she needs is rest." The pinkette made one last pass over Mitsu's chakra to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"What in the world," Sakura frowned as she felt the chakra network slowly unraveling itself to it's previous detrimental state and everyone flinched when the burgundy woman shuddered once more then more blood dribbled out of her mouth.

"What's going on," whispered Shizune as she helped Sakura quickly the damage, "Hiashi-sama, can you give us more details?"

The medics stepped away and let the Hyuuga Clan Leader kneel next to the woman. Leaning down on one knee, Hiashi activated his eyes to study Mitsu's chakra flow. Out of curiosity, the other two Hyuugas used their Byakugans as well and all three watched the woman's chakra convulse erratically. After a few minutes, they saw the chakra concentrate at a slim point in her chest then burst the flesh around it. Shizune and Sakura quickly moved in to heal the wound again.

Closing his eyes in dismay, Hiashi shook his head gravely, "The genjutsu has a very strong hold on her. You're going to need something more than healing chakra to break it."

"Tsunade-sama would know what to do," said Sakura as she stood up, "But we'll need to stop once in while to heal her."

Kakashi nodded, "Alright then. Let's hurry." All eighteen shinobi jumped into the tree tops and raced for Konoha.

As the group bounced from limb to limb, Tenten noticed her boyfriend's face was contorted with intense concentration, "Lee-kun, what's wrong?"

"I was wondering," The boy looked over at the brunette, "If we should tell the Godaime of the Akatsuki's weakness."

Tenten glanced at Lee in confusion, "Weakness? Um, I don't know. You should ask Kakashi-sensei since he's the mission leader."

Lee pushed chakra into his feet and moved up to the Copy Nin, "Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade-sama will want to know how Sai distracted four powerful Akatsuki in the middle of a fierce battle."

"Ummmm," Kakashi muddled the statement before grinning under his mask, "That part will be left out of the paperwork."

Kiba smirked in astonishment, "What? You mean none of us will put it in our reports?"

Every one of the shinobi, especially Sakura and Neji, nodded at the dog nin. How would they explain that even the Leaf nin were also distracted from continuing the fight?

Bewildered by the others' reactions, Lee frowned at their propriety, "But we might be leaving out a VERY effective...

"No," Neji's pearl eyes glared as he cut off his enthusiastic teammate.

"But..."

Sakura turned bright red and raised a fist to knock Lee into a tree, "NOT A WORD!"

A stern look from Gai made Lee sigh in disappointment, "Understood."

----------------------------------------------

To Izumo's displeasure, Hiashi was charged in carrying Mitsu so the Hyuuga could keep an eye on burgundy beauty's chakra. Before the jutsu could injure her internal organs, he would alert the medics that Mitsu needed treatment. The rescue teams would pause long enough for either Sakura or Shizune to heal the patient, but with each successive treatment, everyone noticed a rapidly growing problem.

"The damage is becoming greater and the cycle is speeding up," said Sakura with a grim frown crossing her face, "If this keeps up, her chakra will be damaging faster than we can heal."

Kakashi sighed, "Then we can't stop to heal. We need to get her to Tsunade ASAP," he turned to the medics, "You're gonna have to mend what you can while we're on the move."

Both women winced at the inconvenience, but nodded in agreement. The medic-nins ran on either side of Hiashi and took turns reaching with a hand to heal Mitsu's injuries.

"Kakashi-sensei," yelled Kiba, "Eleven o' clock... Friendlies heading this way."

Asuma appeared next to Kakashi while Team Ten bounced along side of Sakura, "Hatake! Tsunade-sama sent us as back up. What happened?"

The Copy Nin thumbed to where Kana was being carried by Kotetsu and worriedly watched her mother in Hiashi's arms, "Kana is fine, but Mitsu is caught in the Tsukuyomi. The usual counteractions aren't working."

The flaxen kunoichi pulled up to Sakura in curiosity, "Why won't the usual work?"

"We don't know," sighed the pinkette, "Her chakra keeps reverting to its genjutsu state every time we heal her. And what's worse, is that it's speeding up." Sakura didn't want to say it aloud, especially in front of the eight year old, but if even Tsunade-sama couldn't find a way to break the genjutsu, they were going to lose Mitsu.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes in thought, "So aside from the jutsu, is there anything physically wrong with Mitsu-san?"

"No," replied Shizune, "After we heal her, she's perfectly fine. Then the cycle returns more vicious than before."

Hiashi frowned as he watched Mitsu's chakra, "She's going to need another mending in a few seconds."

The pinkette synchronized her steps with Hiashi and hovered her glowing hand over Mitsu's abdomen.

The Shadow Wielder observed Sakura heal the woman's internal organs as they became damaged by the errant chakra, "The Tsukuyomi is the troublesome genjutsu that took out both Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei. What if Mitsu-san reacted differently?"

Kana lifted her head from Kotetsu's back, "Actually, she broke it."

Kakashi halted on a tree limb, "She did what?"

"Well," the girl sighed as everyone stopped to look at her, "Itachi-teme used that genjutsu on her twice. Mom slapped him when she woke up the first time, but then she practically dared him to try again. After the second time, she... she didn't wake up." Kotetsu felt the midnight moppet sadly press her forehead to his back once more.

Kakashi and Gai shared an annoyed glance, "I see. That might explain why we seemed to hold our own with the Akatsuki."

"If Mitsu-san knew what she was doing," Sakura tapped a finger to her lips as she theorized, "Then she must have realized she couldn't break it the second time."

Shikamaru nodded, "So if she didn't fight it, she must have submitted to it completely... perhaps to the point of supporting it."

"Then that would mean," gasped Sakura.

"That using chakra on her only feeds the illusion," confirmed Shikamaru, "You and Shizune-san have got to stop what you're doing."

The frustrated brunette shouted at the young man, "But if we don't, she'll die before we get back to Konoha."

"Then we've got to truly break the genjutsu now, when she's between cycles. It's the only way."

The entire group jumped down from the tree tops and landed below. Hiashi carefully laid Mitsu down on her back, while still keeping an eye on her chakra. Izumo knelt on the other side and gently picked up the burgundy beauty's hand, while Kotetsu kept Kana off to the side with the others.

Sakura sat down on the ground and sighed, "But how? If she's doing this to herself, how do we get her to stop?"

Shino walked up to where Hiashi had laid Mitsu down, "If her chakra wasn't as strong, that would probably slow down the cycles." A small swarm of his beetles crawled from his hands onto the unconscious woman and began to siphon some of her chakra. The young Bug master had to remind them to leave just enough to keep Mitsu alive.

"It looks like it's helping," said Neji as his Byakugan noted her changing network, "But it's not stopping."

Izumo shook his head in exasperation, "We still won't be able to get her back to Konoha in time. How do we break the genjutsu without using chakra?"

"We can't use the chakra on her," said Shikamaru, "But that doesn't stop us from using it on ourselves. Ino?"

The blond kunoichi stepped up to her teammate and gave him a nod, "I'm ready."

Shino looked at Ino's determined face and realized what she was planning to do, "Ino-chan, you can't be serious."

"Don't worry, Shino-kun," Ino gave her boyfriend a sweet smile, "I'll be fine."

Before Shino could protest, she ran through her hand signs then placed her fingers over one eye, "Mind Transfer Jutsu!" Shikamaru automatically caught Ino's body, as it slumped over and her spirit traveled through the air into Mitsu's body.

Ino opened her blue eyes to find herself lying down on the floor of a strange house. She picked herself up and looked around, dusting herself off out of habit. The house felt like an empty hull of a home, but she still heard laughter echoing from one room. The blond girl followed the sounds and found Mitsu sitting among three other people.

The burgundy woman was gazing lovingly at a man, who completely ignored her presence. She reached up with one hand and brushed the man's hair from one side to the next, savoring the feel between her fingers.

"Mitsu-san," whispered Ino as she walked into the room, "Mitsu-san, it's me Ino."

The kunoichi lowered her hand from her husband and blinked at the newcomer trying to get her attention, "Ino... Ino... Y-Yamanaka?"

The young girl nodded eagerly, "Yes, Mitsu-san. It's me. I'm here to help you get out of here."

With a sad smile, Mitsu shook her head, "But why would I want to leave? Look, this is Keitaro. Isn't he handsome."

Ino frowned as she watched the older woman worship the illusion, "Mitsu-san, this is a genjutsu. Kana-chan and Izumo-san are waiting for you in the real world."

Mitsu heard the names, but they had no meaning to her, "Who?"

The astonished blond waved a hand, trying to help Mitsu's memory, "Kana is your daughter, remember."

"Kana. Kana," the woman repeated the name until her eyes lit up with recognition, "Kana-chan, my baby girl."

"Come on, Mitsu," a man's voice echoed around the kunoichi, "You did it before. Break out of there."

The burgundy woman felt a hand softly brush her cheek and she turned her head as she searched the room for the source, "What was that?"

Ino was going to say the voice sounded like Izumo, but then both kunoichi felt a rush of air come from the hall. The blond circled around to see a thirteen year old Itachi burst into the room then slaughter the people, including Mitsu, who forgot all about Ino and protectively threw herself in front of Keitaro.

Panicking, Ino ran across the room to help the wounded kunoichi, but before she stepped into the pool of blood, the Tsukuyomi world dissolved around her and she woke up in her own body.

"What happened," asked Ino as Shino slowly helped her sit up, "Why am I back here?" Ino looked around to see Sakura healing Mitsu's injury while the Destruction beetles carefully ate the excess chakra.

"Hinata was watching your chakra network," her boyfriend muttered darkly, "You were mimicking Mitsu-san's pattern, so I disrupted your chakra. If you had stayed, you would have been caught by the Tsukuyomi."

Ino pushed herself away from him, "But I was talking with her. I needed to stay in there longer to get her out."

"No. It's too dangerous," reprimanded the Bug master, "You're own chakra network was about to kill you."

The blond girl scowled at the young man, "It's a chance I'm willing to take, Shino-kun."

"She's right," said Sakura when she finished healing Mitsu, "If she's able to communicate with Mitsu-san, Ino is her best hope."

"There's something else," Ino stood up quickly, "We heard a voice through the genjutsu. Did any one of you say something to Mitsu-san?"

Izumo nodded as he continued to brush Mitsu's cheek with one hand, "I did. You could hear me?"

"Yes," cried Ino excitedly, "Mitsu is so wrapped up in the illusion that she's having trouble remembering the outside world. But for some reason, your voice made it through to her. Keep talking to Mitsu-san! It's helping her!"

Hope lighting up his eyes, Izumo knelt closer to his fiancé and began to whisper encouragement in her ear.

"I need to go back before the cycle hurts her again," Ino felt her boyfriend's hand tighten around hers, "Please, Shino-kun."

Shizune walked up to the Yamanaka girl, "If it comes down to it, I'll heal her."

Caught between logic and instinctively protecting the woman who might be carrying his child, Shino sighed gravely and let go of her hand.

Ino returned to her stance and activated her jutsu. She felt her mind slide back into Mitsu's head and woke up right back where she started.

"Mitsu-san! Mitsu-san!" This time Ino wasted no time and went right to the woman to pick her up from kneeling on the floor next to her late husband.

Mitsu growled at Ino with a blank look, "Who are you and why are you taking me away from Keitaro-kun?"

"Can you hear me, Mitsu-chan," echoed a man's voice, making the kunoichi to look up and around.

"Who is that," asked the burgundy woman as she kept touching her cheek, "I keep hearing that stranger's voice."

"Don't you recognize him," Ino carefully prodded the other woman, "You know him."

When Mitsu remained confused, Ino waved to where Izumo's voice came from, "That's Kamizuki Izumo. The man you're going to marry."

The woman gave Ino an incredulous look then laughed, "That's impossible! I'm already married." She pointed to the smiling Keitaro and his family having tea together.

"No, Mitsu-san," the blond girl gently shook her head and pulled Mitsu further away, "That man died a long time ago. You're trapped in a genjutsu."

"Wake up, Mitsu-chan," came Izumo's voice again.

Beginning to doubt herself, the burgundy woman looked back at Keitaro then turned to Ino, "Are- Are you sure?"

The blond girl nodded and grabbed Mitsu by the arms. She wanted get the older woman out of here before the cycle ended. There was the familiar gust of air that Ino recognized and she held on to the panic-stricken woman with all her strength. The young Uchiha sped into the room and blitzed through his killing. Screaming at the carnage, Mitsu struggled ferociously against Ino, but the blond girl held fast.

Outside of Mitsu's mind, the Hyuugas were watching the synchronized chakra networks like hawks. They were expecting to see a harmful burst from inside both kunoichi, but were surprised to see nothing happen and the chakra flows began to smooth out.

"Wh-whatever she's doing," Hinata whispered happily, "It's working."

"That's it," said Izumo's voice from overhead, "The cycle is breaking!"

The older woman blinked as she remembered the voice, "Izumo-kun? Was... that Izumo just now?"

Elated that they were making headway, Ino turned the burgundy kunoichi to face her, "Yes! But you need to fully wake up before this nightmare starts all over again. So..." Ino lifted her right arm over her left shoulder and backhanded Mitsu across the face. The stunned woman fell sideways, landing on her hands and knees upon the floor.

Mitsu narrowed her ruby eyes and rubbed her sore jaw, "What the HELL! INO! What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

The blond grinned and reached up to help Mitsu stand up, "Breaking you out of the Tsukuyomi!" Sure enough the house began to crumble about them, leaving nothing but the blood red skies swirling around.

"You remember who Kana is, right," double checked Ino before releasing her jutsu.

Mitsu gave the girl a sneer, "Of course, I do. What a stupid question! Who can forget twelve hours of agonizing labor?"

Ino smiled at the burgundy kunoichi, "Then it's time for you to get out of here. All you have to do is use your chakra," Then the blond girl put her hands together, "Kai!"

The burgundy kunoichi watched Ino disappear from her mind and formed the release seal with her own hands, "Kai!"

The Yamanaka beauty opened her blue eyes to find herself back in Shino's arms, "Is she awake?" She quickly stood up and looked across to Mitsu's body.

Sakura returned to her patient's side and pushed healing chakra into Mitsu's forehead to check, "You did it, Ino. She's out of the jutsu. Just give her a minute."

The woman's eyelashes fluttered for a second before slowly lifting a hand to her throbbing forehead, "Ino...Hey Ino," she whispered softly

Sakura stood up to let her blond friend through while Ino knelt next to Mitsu.

The flaxen kunoichi hovered closer when the woman curled a finger, "Yes, Mitsu-san."

WHACK!

Everyone winced in empathy as Ino massaged her stinging cheek from Mitsu's slap.

"Okay, I feel better now," mumbled the burgundy beauty as she rubbed her eyes then pushed herself up on her elbows.

"Nice way to show your gratitude," Ino grumbled at the woman, but smiled when her worried beau came up to her side, "It's okay. That was payback."

Kana ran from Kotetsu's side and wrapped her small arms around her mother's neck, "Don't scare me like that, Mom!"

Mitsu sighed contentedly as she gave her little girl a hug then lifted her ruby eyes to meet Izumo's brown. Kana moved out of the away when she felt her mother give her a slight push. The little girl smiled to see Izumo kneel down and enveloped her mother tightly in his arms in one fell swoop.

The need to reconnect swept over both of them as they held on to each other for a long time. It felt like he was squeezing the life out of her, but she didn't care. She wound her arms around his neck and savored everything about him that she had forgotten in that horrible nightmare. All the sweat and dirt from their ordeal that covered the both of them didn't matter... To her, nothing could smell sweeter.

Backing away a couple meters, Hiashi gravely watched the tender couple re-establish their bond and lowered his head in defeat. He didn't require his Byakugan to see they needed each other more than he wanted her. Sighing inwardly, he turned around to see his daughter and nephew watching him sympathetically. Reminding him that he was not exactly alone the world, they respectfully nodded to him and he acknowledged them in return.

"Alright people," said Kakashi when he straightened up from leaning against a tree, "It's high time we got back home."

Dawn was cracking over the horizon by the time the Rescue Teams made it into sleepy Konoha. The quiet streets and hushed surroundings made it easy for Izumo and Kotetsu to get Mitsu and Kana the hospital. The Chuunin dropped off the Uchihas at the hospital for treatment, letting everyone else to go home and recover from another all-nighter mission.

Knowing how much trouble it would start, Shino and Neji still escorted their significant others safely home and bravely tolerated the nasty reactions from girls' overprotective parents.

A grouchy Inoichi was going to scream at the Bug Boy for being too close to Ino, but was surprised to find his daughter standing in front of him, defiantly staring him down. Blinking at his daughter's outright rebellion, Inoichi felt his gaping mouth closed shut by the girl. He was too tired to deal with an early morning, so the Yamanaka Clan Leader simply gave off a weak snarl then waved Ino inside.

The blond girl turned back around, gave Shino a chaste kiss on the lips then proudly walked past her fuming father.

At the Haruno home, Neji just stood outside the doorway and calmly waited for Sakiko to finish her continuous tirade.

Sakura rolled her emerald eyes and sighed as she sat on the stairs while Inner Sakura's hand silently mouthed her mother's favorite speeches.

When the woman ran out of breath, the young Hyuuga reminded both Harunos the feast at his clan's estate was already in preparations and everyone was looking forward to their attendance. He gave the finally the speechless Sakiko a bow and a small smile ghosted over his lips when he turned to walk away. With his Byakugan, he could see a grinning Sakura giving him two thumbs up from behind her stunned mother's back.

It was early evening, when Izumo and Kotetsu wandered into the Razor Leaf and made their way to where Asuma, Yamato, Kakashi, and Genma were sitting.

"Hey guys," said Kotetsu as the Chuunin took seats at the table, "Were you able to debrief the Hokage yet, Kakashi?"

The Copy Nin fiddled with his liquor, "Uh, It's on the schedule for tomorrow"

"Planning to call in sick, eh," laughed Izumo and gulped down his drink, "That won't work."

Genma twirled his senbon, "Yeah, what you gotta do is schedule. Don't show up, then apologize afterwards. That way you get away with anything!"

"No wonder you haven't gotten a raise in years," chuckled Yamato.

All the shinobi, except Izumo, looked up from their drinks when they felt a familiar formidable presence enter the bar and search for a particular ninja.

"Aw, come on," Without bothering to even look behind, the Chuunin sighed tiredly, "The point of a bar is to relax. We're gonna have to find another place to hang at if the Hyuuga keeps showing up here."

"Don't worry, Chuunin," murmured Hiashi as he stood behind Izumo's chair, "I don't plan on coming back to this dive ever again. I only want a word with you."

Izumo got up and waited for Hiashi to lead him to a private table. A waitress poured out a couple of cups of the bar's finest sake for the men then bowed away.

Hiashi picked up his sake and sipped the liquor, "For some reason, I felt obligated to give you this little talk about Mitsu."

The Chuunin quietly sized up the older man before reaching for the sake.

Then the Hyuuga caught the boy's eyes and leaned into the table, "I wanted to give you a fair warning. You better take good care of her... Or else."

The Chuunin calmly lowered his cup and looked at the other man, "Or else what?"

Veins raising around his pearl eyes, Hiashi smirked at his rival, "That when I see an opening, boy, I'm going to take it. Is that clear enough for you?"

Izumo glared back at the Hyuuga, "Crystal."

"Good," Hiashi sat his drink down and got up from the table, "Now I have to attend an engagement dinner party. Too bad only my nephew will be marrying this year, but who knows what the future brings."

The Hyuuga smirked when he saw Izumo grip his cup tighter. Getting the boy paranoid over Mitsu might become a fun new hobby, even if the woman was no longer interested in him.

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The Harunos arrived at the Hyuuga gates on time to be greeted by Shoda, who immediately ushered them to the formal banquet in their honor. All the Hyuuga Elders and Main house were waiting for the women, making Neji the only Lower Branch member in attendance.

Dressed in a beautiful green kimono, Sakura was seated next to Neji, while Sakiko was forced to sit next to Shoda. Sakura's mother was sullen to be separated from her daughter, but still held her head high.

"I understand that Mitsu-san was supposed to be here," asked Sakiko with a sly smile.

The pinkette groaned inwardly. She already explained the situation to her mother, but the infuriating woman insisted on bringing up the sensitive subject.

Shoda smoothly nodded to Sakiko, "Yes, circumstances led Uchiha-san to decline our proposal, but from what I understand, Sakura-san is quite prepared to accept the engagement."

"That may be," The older Haruno scoffed, "But she still needs my approval in order to marry and I have yet to _approve_."

The Hyuugas could already sense Sakura's chakra churning in anger and carefully watched for any hasty reactions from the young girl. It was obvious to all that the woman was trying to provoke Sakura into disgracing herself in front of the clan, but would the girl realize that?

Instead of playing into Sakiko's scheme, the pinkette decided to stop staying on the sidelines and fully confront her mother, "Well, mother dear, I'm glad you understand that right now, you hold the strongest hand. However, nothing ever stays the same."

Suddenly uneasy, Sakiko blinked at the girl, "And you're point?"

"A fifteen year old needs consent to marry," Sakura smiled sweetly, "But a sixteen year old is legally of age... and that's less than seven months from now. How long would it take to set up proper arrangements for our wedding Shoda-sama?"

The elder tried not to smirk as he played along, "About seven months, give or take a week."

"So whether you want to attend or not, is entirely up to you," The pinkette watched her mother pale at the thought of being left out from one of the most important days of her baby girl's life.

Sakura now was the time to pull out the stops, "But I would be much happier if you were there at the end of our Sake Toast ceremony," The pinkette pressed on and pretended not to notice how Sakiko's emerald eyes began to shimmer with tears, "A mother should be there for her daughter for her first festival, help her dress in her shiro-maku before the wedding, and of course, be there to greet any darling grandchildren through the years." Sakura wiped away an imaginary tear from her eye.

As Sakiko's bottom lip quivered, Inner Sakura bounced joyfully in her head with fist raised high, 'Hook! Line! Sinker, baby!'

The hard-nosed Haruno dropped her head in defeat and sighed, "Very well, since it will take some time for the wedding to be prepared anyways."

Pulling out a fan from her kimono, Sakura waved it to cool her slightly flushing skin, "Forgive me for all this emotion, Hyuuga-sama. Neji-kun, I think I need some air. By your leave..." She looked over at Hiashi, who was still biting back his smile. The Clan Leader nodded and let his nephew lead the pinkette out the room.

When they were a few rooms away, Neji turned to his future bride with a proud smirk, "Bravo. And I thought Shoda would have to do all the fast talking."

Sakura snapped her fan close and laughed aloud, "Thank you! Yes, he was such a dear to play along. I like him!"

The young Hyuuga gaped in surprise to hear someone actually like a Hyuuga Elder, 'Oh she'll fit in just fine!'

As they walked through the house, Sakura began to recognize this part of the household, "Neji, isn't your room not far from here?"

"Yes," he said carefully, "Why do you ask?"

The pinkette looked the young man up and down hungrily as she pulled him in that direction, "If everyone else is busy working on the details of our engagement, maybe we should be working on the more enjoyable parts."

Neji smirked at the naughty pink minx, "Everyone's going to wonder where we disappeared to on such an important meeting. I don't think we have time."

Sakura looked up at her beau with a twinkle in her eye, "Is that a challenge, Neji? Because it sounds like one to me... or is the great Neji-sama to chicken for a quickie in his own bed."

The young man gawked at the pinkette as she alluringly looked over one shoulder and bock-ed like a chicken at him. Without wasting any breath, Neji threw Sakura over one shoulder and rushed to his room.

----Lemon 1------

A delighted squeal came from one corner of the house, causing all the Hyuugas to activate their Byakugan at once. Both Hinata and Hanabi blushed at the sight of Neji carrying Sakura like a barbarian to ravish her in his bedroom.

Careful to keep his cool, Shoda coughed into his hand and politely smiled at Sakiko, "Are you sure you won't consider moving up the wedding date."

The woman scowled, "I am absolutely sure, Hyuuga-sama!"

All the Hyuugas glanced at each other and shrugged.

"A baby's a baby," whispered Hiashi to Shoda, "Who cares when it gets here?"

Sliding the bedroom door shut, Neji threw his fiance onto the bed and held her down with one hand.

"Neji-kun?" She looked up at him with a confused expression then emerald eyes grew wide as he slowly unhooked his white shirt.

A naughty smirk crossed Neji's face as he tortured Sakura with his own drawn out stripping and chuckled as the girl quickly covered her nose to hide the trickle of blood.

Completely divested of clothing, the young Hyuuga pushed Sakura down on the bed and methodically traced fingers into her kimono edge. After loosening the dress, Neji drew his hand back up to push the fabric off her shoulder. Softly growling, he leaned in to press his lips to the newly exposed skin.

The pinkette gasped when she felt the stinging suction from his mouth, "Oh kami, Neji-kun! Stop teasing me!"

"I've been issued a challenge," he whispered in a ear while holding both her wrists in his hand, "I never back down from a challenge... And I _never_ do quickies."

Sakura had to suffer with Neji carefully removing her clothes then crawling at a snail's pace down to her pink curls. She barely held back a squeak when his tongue drifted into her folds and found her already slick with arousal.

Neji twirled his tongue around her clit and was pleased to hear her moan in response. He gently pushed a couple fingers inside the pinkette and felt her squirm. Removing his tongue, he kept driving his fingers into her and made sure to hit her G-spot, but not so much to let her find release.

"N-Neji," she stuttered out, "Please!"

He pushed himself up to look her in the eyes, "Do you take it back?"

She bit down on her lower lip and gasped in frustration, "Take what back?"

Neji smirked and pulled his fingers out and lightly trailed the tip of tongue over her clit.

"Yes, Kami, I take it back," she nearly screamed, "Whatever the hell I did, I take it back. I'm dying here!"

Chuckling, he held her legs up to his torso and slowly pushed his length into the heated girl. They both panted as he drove into Sakura with a rigorous internal beat until Neji was overcome with the intense gripping of her spasming inner muscles.

With several grunts, the young Hyuuga pushed himself deep once more and let loose his seed inside his fiance.

On the other side of the house, Hiashi signed above Sakiko's signature then leaned to the side for only Shoda to hear, "We'll have to combine the baby shower with the bridal shower, if Neji doesn't learn more restraint."

----------------------------------------

It was early in the morning the next day when Izumo walked into Mitsu and Kana's hospital room, "Good morning! How are my girls doing?" He was surprised to see they had changed out of their hospital gowns and were wearing the extra street clothes he had brought yesterday afternoon.

Kana hopped off her mother's bed and tackled the Chuunin, "Tsunade-sama said we could check out today! If you don't mind, I'm gonna head straight to school!" Pulling back, the midnight-haired girl rubbed her hands together eagerly.

"Oh, Ninjutsu class is going to be interesting today. I am going to kick some major ass," Kana ran up to Mitsu and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, "See you later!"

Mitsu frowned as she watched her baby girl rush off to pick a fight, "She keeps going on about this Tobi-san. I think he may have taught her a little more than the Phoenix Flower Jutsu."

"Don't worry," said Izumo as he helped her off the bed, "The Hokage has someone keeping an eye on the Akatsuki. With the Niju Shotai, they won't get within ten kilometers of Konoha."

Tsunade came walking in with her clipboard and looked over the medical files, "Well, it looks like everything is in order. All that's needed is for you to sign this paperwork. And while you do that, I can to speak with Kamizuki for a moment." The Hokage pinched the Chuunin's ear as she painfully dragged him out the door.

Walking through the door, Mitsu handed the papers back to the Hokage, "Here you go, Godaime. Is there anything else?"

"Nope," smiled the blond woman as she slipped something into Izumo's hands, "Just catch up on some rest and no stress."

As Izumo walked his fiancé home, he held her hand in his and enjoyed feeling her lean gently against him, 'I need to be careful,' he thought as his libido came up with various suggestions of how to spend the rest of the day, 'Or Tsunade-sama will have my hide.'

When they arrived at Mitsu's home, there were packages piled up on the doorstep.

"Oh, that's right," she said, "My grandmother told me that she planned on sending some stuff from her estate. That's probably them." She reached out to pick up one box, but Izumo opened up the door and led her inside.

"You heard Tsunade-sama," he reminded her, "You relax and I'll get the boxes."

Mitsu shrugged then headed to the kitchen. She found a mochaccino in the fridge and sipped on a bottle as Izumo brought the first box into the hallway. The burgundy kunoichi opened it up excitedly and plucked out carefully wrapped dinnerware and other various kitchen implements.

"Hey," the burgundy beauty gasped as she pulled out a red apron with large ruffles along the edges of the sleeves and skirt, "I thought I lost it back home."

She hung the apron over one arm and watched Izumo bring in another box. Her lusting eyes followed the handsome Chuunin's body and lightly bit her lower lip, when he bent over to lower the package.

"Izumo," the man turned around to see Mitsu leaning in the doorway to the kitchen with that come-hither look in her ruby eyes, "I'm sure the boxes won't mind, if we leave them outside for a little while longer."

"Not a good idea, Mitsu-chan," Izumo's hand nervously twitched as half of him wanted to take the woman up on her offer, while the other half reminded him of Tsunade's absolutely, under no circumstances, must Mitsu be stressed in any way.

"Aw, but I really want you to 'Stress' me," She pulled out a hair pin to let down her hair and gave him a wink.

Now his right leg was trembling erratically, "N-no Mitsu-chan. Remember the Hokage said you should take it easy and not be strained in any way, but if it helps..."

The burgundy beauty was surprised to find Izumo handing her a bar of dark chocolate, "B-b-but, but..."

"Tsunade-sama said that this would help curb any 'Cravings'," The Chuunin worked hard to keep a smile on his face.

Mitsu pouted before tearing open the candy wrapper, "Fine! But you're no fun when you're being responsible!" Then she bit angrily into her chocolate bar.

Groaning in disappointment himself, Izumo went back outside to pick up another package, "I better leave after helping her settle in or I'm gonna be in trouble."

"Who's gonna be in trouble," said Kotetsu as he strolled up the steps, "Heh, didn't Hokage-sama tell you to not 'Stress' her."

The blue-haired nin laughed when he saw his friend glower hatefully, "Anyways, I thought I'd stop by and see if Mitsu-san and Kana-chan needed anything." He picked up the last box and walked beside his teammate.

"Everything is fine," sighed Izumo, "Mitsu's a little more amorous than what's good for her, but she's just fine."

As they casually stepped into the hall, the Chuunin saw a chocolate bar hurtle from the kitchen to smash into the wall across the hallway. Confused, Izumo and Kotetsu sat the boxes inside the hall and walked up to the broken pieces to look down at the pathetic candy.

Then both men heard Mitsu coo seductively from the kitchen, "Oh heavens above, my chocolate is ruined," She delicately lifted the back of one hand to her forehead, "Whatever will I do?"

Izumo and Kotetsu looked to their right to see Mitsu sitting in the middle of the kitchen table, with her legs crossed and wearing nothing but a red ruffled apron. The eyelet ruffles barely covered the tips of her lush bosom and the short skirt draped just over her bare thighs.

Bouncing her ankle in the air, the burgundy beauty peered from behind her hand to flutter her lashes at Izumo, but found an addition to her intended audience.

"KOTETSU-SAN," She grabbed the nearest tea towel and tried to cover her scantily covered breasts with it, "Oh, um... Hi!" Mitsu blushed several shades of red as she saw Kotetsu's nose start to bleed.

"OI," Izumo finally noticed that his best friend had yet to move towards the door, "GET OUT!" The horny Chuunin angrily spun a dazed Kotetsu then kicked his nose-bleeding friend, along with Izumo's last ounce of self-control, out on their asses.

Dusting off the dirt, the blue-haired nin picked himself up and looked around the garden, "Wh-What just happened?" Kotetsu turned around in time to see his teammate slam the front door then hear the lock click.

The dark-haired man threw off one article of clothing after another as he sped back to the kitchen to find Mitsu waiting for him on top of the table.

"Oopsy," she giggled as he lustfully pulled her legs to the table's edge and wrapped them around his waist.

"You are a bad girl," Izumo ran his hands over her bare hips and attacked her neck with his teeth, "You knew I wouldn't be able to resist."

Mitsu mewled as her fiancé nudged aside a ruffle and sucked a nipple into his mouth, "And I fail to see how this is bad?"

"Heh," Izumo looked up to gaze into the woman's mottled eyes, "Right now you fail to see just about anything!" He pulled back up to kiss her into a frenzy.

The burgundy beauty moaned when he spread her legs further and pushed himself deep inside her. Groaning at the heavenly feeling from being inside her, Izumo held on to Mitsu's waist as she arched back and pushed her hips into his thrusts.

"Oh god," growled the Chuunin as they both picked up the pace, making the table shift and squeak with their efforts. They ignored all the bubble-wrapped dinnerware rattling on the table and practically pushed a box off the edge.

Mitsu's passionate whines grew sharper as she felt the pressure build deep within her. She felt her stomach tighten with every thrust then explode into her orgasm, "Oh god, yes!"

Gasping erratically, Izumo roared as Mitsu's inner walls clenched and pulsed him into his own release. The burgundy kunoichi fell back to lie helplessly on the table, while Izumo dropped his head on top of her soft chest. A rumble of contentment emerged from him as he lightly caressed her skin with kisses.

As the afterglow subsided, Izumo lifted his head when he felt a familiar chakra signature from outside. In their haste, the lovers had forgotten that the kitchen curtains were still open and well within sight of the Hyuuga wall.

'Figures the white-eyed bastard would be a peeping tom,' grumbled Izumo as he continued to nestle Mitsu, but he couldn't help smirking against her creamy bosom.

-------------------------------------------------------

Two weeks later, Kana and Izumo watched the burgundy kunoichi with amusement as she rushed everywhere in the house at lightening speed. She ran from the kitchen to the living room then into the backyard.

"Okay the food's almost ready," Mitsu threw the tablecloth on the table and flittered around straightening the edges, "The weather is cooperating and now all I have to do is set the table for six, be a gracious hostess, and not make a total idiot of myself."

"Too late," piped up Kana then ducked from the napkin thrown at her head.

Izumo walked up to his lady love and gave her a hug, "Relax, my parents are gonna love you!"

The skittish woman simmered down slightly in the man's arms and sighed, "Oh, I hope so. I just don't want to do anything embarrassing like forget their names... What are their names again?"

The Chuunin chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "Keiji and Umeko. Don't stress. You're going to be fine."

The doorbell rang sending Mitsu into another flurry of hysterics. Attempting to calm her down, Izumo goosed her until she had to swat him away.

"Oi, keep those hands under control," growled the woman as she returned to her normal self.

Giggling at both adults, Kana walked up next to her mother and held the woman's hand in comfort. Feeling a little more at ease, Mitsu looked down at her smiling daughter and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Izumo opened up the door to reveal a lovely couple in their mid-fifties, stepping up into the doorway to greet their son. The dark haired woman was the first to give the Chuunin a big hug.

"Izu-chan," cried his mother as she squeezed his cheeks between her hands, "It's been ages since we last saw you! You need to visit home more often, sweetie!"

"It's only been a couple months, Mom," mumbled Izumo as his face was being rocked back and forth in his mother's hands.

A much older version of Izumo walked up and grinned at the boy, "She's been really looking forward to this dinner, son. We've been wondering when you were going to come out and tell us..."

Both Keiji and Umeko froze when they noticed Mitsu and Kana nervously standing in the hallway.

Izumo was able to free himself from his mother's grip and waved a hand towards the new girls in his life, "Mom, Dad, this is my fiancé, Mitsu and her daughter, Kana. Mitsu, Kana, these are my parents, Kamizuki Keiji and Umeko."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Keiji-san, Umeko-san," Mitsu and Kana gracefully bowed to the surprised couple.

Keiji was the first to recover from the shock, "Yes, well it's a pleasure to meet you too." He gave his wife a nudge, who jumped out of her staring.

"Yes. Yes, it's wonderful to meet you," Umeko moved closer to Mitsu and peered oddly at the ruby-eyed woman.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Relieved to escape the scrutiny of her future Mother-In-Law, Mitsu backed up towards the kitchen, "If you'll excuse me, I need to take dinner out of the oven."

Kana looked up at her soon-to-be grandmother and smiled brightly, "Hi there! Is it alright if I call you Umeko-baachan?"

Umeko gasped and her eyes began to tear, "Of course it is, sweetheart!"

Izumo watched as Kana wrapped her hand around her new grandmother's and lead her into the living room, "I knew the girl had natural charm in there somewhere."

Keiji wasn't nearly as swept away with Mitsu and Kana as his wife was, "Uh son, is there someplace you and I can talk."

"Sure Dad," the Chuunin waved a hand towards the sliding glass door, leading to the backyard. Izumo sat down in a chair and waited as his father paced nervously on the pavement.

Umeko and Kana walked into the kitchen to find Mitsu busy setting up the food in their proper platters, "Is there anything I can help you with, Mom?"

The burgundy kunoichi smiled, "Thank you for asking, Kana-chan. Would you bring the glasses to the table?"

Umeko waited for the eight year old to leave the kitchen before walking beside the younger woman. Mitsu was rushing to find the formal salt and pepper shaker set when she felt a sharp elbow knock into her side.

The burgundy woman winced as she rubbed her sore rib, "Fu-uh Ow! Umeko-san?"

The lady gasped, "Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. Are you okay? My clumsy feet tend to trip over themselves all the time."

Mitsu stared in confusion at the smiling woman, but shrugged it off, "It's alright. I'm fine."

Stepping away from the kitchen counters, Umeko stared harshly at the young lady's back then lifted a finger to her lips and bit down until she drew blood.

After setting the lid over the main course, Mitsu turned around to find an astonished Umeko holding up a bleeding finger, "UMEKO-SAN!" Mitsu grabbed a paper napkin and wrapped it around her In-Law's finger.

"Are you alright," said the young woman as she fussed over Umeko's finger.

The excited woman grabbed Mitsu's cheeks between her hands and swung it from side to side, "Oh Mitsu-chan! I have never been better! Here, let me help you!" And Umeko took off with the salt and pepper shakers before a bewildered Mitsu could say anything.

Outside on the patio, Keiji finally worked up the courage to look Izumo in the eye, "You don't have to put on this charade, son. Just tell him, he can drop the henge or dispel the genjutsu. It's okay."

As Izumo's mother sat the salt and pepper shakers on the table, she hurriedly whispered in her husband's ear, "What? It's really a woman!"

His wife shrugged and smiled, "Who knew." Then she headed back into the house.

"Yes, Dad," Izumo leaned back in a chair and sighed, "I told you she had a daughter. There is certain equipment necessary to pull that off."

The older man blushed as he scratched his graying hair, "You mean, you didn't hire a kid from the Academy?"

Izumo glared at his father, "Dad, what the hell are you saying?"

Keiji rambled as he tried to explain, "Well, since you and Kotetsu hung out together so much for so long that, um...", His father nervously cleared his throat when he saw Izumo's tightening fists, "What we're trying to say is that we love you and whatever is your preference is entirely your choice. Your mother and I have become very open minded."

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes as Izumo tried not to throttle his father, "Dad."

"Yeah."

"Shut up."

"Right."

Not too far away, Kotetsu walked down the road with a rather fascinating visitor towards the Uchiha household. Right behind them, the Konoha Corp grunted heavily as they pushed a small cart full of suitcases and boxes.

"We're not too far now, ma'am. I'm sure Mitsu-san will be pleasantly surprised to see you here, " The blue-haired nin led a little old lady through the gates and courtyard.

The elderly woman sniffed haughtily as she surveyed the flowering plants, "I suppose this house will have to do, but the garden is far too delicate for my taste."

After dismissing the genin, Kotetsu smiled patiently and knocked on the front door, "Oh yes, Mitsu-san will be very surprised."

The nervous burgundy beauty answered the door and looked quite flustered from her nerve-racking day.

She smiled to see the Chuunin standing at the door and waved a bloody napkin at the man, "Oh hi, Kotetsu-san! Do you need to see Izumo-kun?"

"Actually Mitsu-san, this is about you," Then he stepped aside to reveal the little old lady, leaning on a cane with both hands and looking up at the younger woman with the same ruby eyes.

Mitsu stared in shock to see her stern grandmother on the front door step, 'OH NO! Is Itachi back? Am I back in the Tsukuyomi?'

"Masako-sama! Masako-sama," Kana rushed past her mother and ran at the smiling old woman.

"N-N-NOT A GENJUTSU," Mitsu screamed as she pointed to her grandmother. Her eyes rolled back and everyone at the door watched the woman faint dead away.

"Uuugh," The queezy burgundy kunoichi woke up on the couch to see fuzzy people taking turns staring down at her.

"Hey, hey, she's waking up," said Umeko and waved her son over.

Kana and Izumo peered down at her with Kotetsu handing his teammate a glass of water.

"Are you okay, Mitsu," said her fiancé as he held the water to her lips.

A sour face appeared from the other side, "Of course, she is! You've gotten soft, Mitsu."

"AH! NOT A GENJUTSU!" The burgundy woman scrunched up her shoulders and covered both her eyes in horror.

"You said that already, stupid girl," chided the old lady as she hobbled her way to a love seat.

Izumo helped the shaking Mitsu sit up and handed her the water, "So this is the woman who chased off all those suitors at three in the morning. I should be thanking you, ma'am"

Then the old woman turned her attention from her panicking grand daughter to the strange man sitting so intimately next to Mitsu.

"The name is Masako, young man. I was informed by my Kage that a marriage proposal was extended to my grand daughter. So I decided to make the trip over to Konohakagure," She leaned on her cane and peered at the smiling Chuunin, "Strange, you don't look rich."

Then she gave his arm a poke with her walking stick, "I thought you were supposed to be in your forties and have white pupiless eyes. Oh well. When do you want to start talks on the marriage contract, Hyuuga-sama?"

"N-No Masako-baasan," Mitsu laid her hand in the man's hand, "This is Kamizuki Izumo, my fiancé"

The old woman huffed then gave him another hard poke with her cane, "Kamizuki? Fiancé? I don't think so. I came all the way here to see you married into the Hyuuga Clan and I will. It's a good thing I arrived in time before there was any Concordance with this," Mitsu's grandmother scrunched up her nose in distaste at Izumo, "This boy."

Both of Izumo's parents frowned deeply at the insult directed at their son.

Mitsu scratched her head as she heard an unfamiliar word from her grandmother, "C-Concordance?"

"Yes," The old lady raised an eyebrow, "Surely your parents told you about that!"

Her grandmother scowled when the kunoichi shook her head, "Bah! I blame your mother! She was supposed to tell you about that years ago."

"Well, she and Dad died when I turned fourteen," interjected Mitsu, "I guess they just didn't get around to it."

"So what's this 'Concordy' thing," asked Kana who settled next to her Masako-sama on the love seat.

Glaring at Mitsu and Kana, the elderly woman sighed in extreme annoyance, "Fine! It's not something we like to talk about out loud, but since this MIGHT affect Kana years from now... I'll kill two birds with one stone."

Not to miss out on good gossip, Kotetsu made himself comfortable on the couch on the other side of Mitsu while Izumo's parents sat on the opposite love seat. All eyes focused on the old lady as everyone in the room listened intently.

"Our clan was created from of our village's past genjutsu specialists settling down with other genjutsu shinobi. As a result, there were several consequences in the later generations."

Kana furrowed her brow, "What kind?"

"Well to begin with, where do you think we got these freaky eyes," Then the old lady laughed as she pointed at a blushing Mitsu, "And god-awful hair color."

Mitsu grumbled as she slumped into the couch, "Well, THAT lowered my self-esteem by another ten points."

"Aw," Both Izumo and Kotetsu patted the gloomy woman on the head.

The old woman sniffed at Izumo's affectionate touches on her grand daughter, "The Concordance is another result from our bloodline. Genjutsu is in every bit of our blood and it creates a life-long bond so strong it manifests itself physically. Two elements are needed to trigger it. A strong attraction and complete trust. So it takes some time to establish fully. Even your late husband, may he rest in peace, had difficulty getting the Concordance to occur."

Mitsu frowned as she tried to remember what happened nearly a decade ago, "Really?"

"AND he had to endure a month of your refusals for a date," added the old lady, "He said it was a relief to finally see your eyes change properly."

Mitsu and Izumo blinked.

The burgundy kunoichi pointed to her face, "Do you mean the eye thingy?"

Her grandmother sneered haughtily at the silly girl, "Yes, my dear. Whenever you became intimate with Keitaro, it started the... Eye Thingy." Masako shook her head at that ditzy grand daughter.

"Then it already happened with Izumo," shrugged Mitsu happily and winked at Izumo.

Masako paused for a moment then chuckled, "Hah! That's absurd. I mean, never in the history of our family has a Concordance happened in less than two months."

Izumo bit back an insult, but patiently replied, "Actually, it first happened not long from when Mitsu-chan arrived in Konoha," He turned to his fiancé, "About five days, wouldn't you say?"

"I think so," she nodded back.

When the old lady sat with her mouth hanging open, Kotetsu waved a hand and spoke up, "If it helps, I can vouch for them, Masako-sama."

There were scandalized gasps and staring at the two men and woman sitting on the couch, causing all three to blush brightly. Even Izumo's parents shared a surprised glance with each other.

"I-I mean," Kotetsu coughed as he tried to explain, "Back at the bar, when Izumo had Mitsu-san's foot in his lap..."

Mitsu gently pressed her hand over the blue-haired Chuunin's mouth, "I think you've helped enough, Kotetsu-san."

"But, but that's preposterous," Masako pushed herself up from the love seat then dug into her kimono for a pair of glasses, "It's utterly ridiculous that anyone could have established a full bond within five days!" Masako placed the specs over her eyes to get a good look at the man who pulled off the impossible.

"AAAHHHH!" The old lady let out a high pitched screamed and clasped a hand over her chest, "Nozomu! He looks just like Nozomu!"

Kotetsu looked over to where Kana was sitting and whispered, "Who?"

The little girl just shrugged, "Damned if I know."

"I should have known that Nozomu business would come back to haunt me," growled Masako as she calmed down from her near heart attack.

Mitsu watched her grandmother pull out a fan and wave it rapidly, "What does my old sensei have to do with Izumo-kun?"

The old lady sighed heavily, "Your mother and father were supposed to tell you the truth, but then they had to die on a mission before settling this stupidity. Years ago, your first sensei came to me, wanting answers to why his favorite student kept going blind at the oddest times."

Izumo and Kotetsu raised their eyebrows and smirked as Mitsu sank further into her seat.

'God-damn stupid idiotic teenage crush,' Mitsu bit down hard on her lip and her face became more red by the second.

"Your Concordance phase wasn't supposed to happen until further into puberty. But then you always were an early bloomer in just about everything," sighed Masako and she put the specs back into her kimono, "Kami, but this one blind-sided us."

"Literally," whispered Izumo and got a hard slap on the arm from Mitsu, "Ow."

The elderly woman shuffled back to the love seat in defeat, "So he transferred you to another sensei, before things got out of hand."

Masako secreted her fan back into her kimono, "Thank goodness, it never got far with Nozomu. But apparently, the bond didn't die as it should have. Somehow it laid dormant all this time." The old lady threw her hands up in exasperation, "A Concordance that slept for fifteen years! This is one for the clan history books."

Kana tugged on Masako's sleeve with a questioning look, "If a fifteen year old bond could be sleeping, what about a nine year old one?"

The old lady nodded in thought, "Quite possible, Kana-chan. Why do you ask?" Kana cleared her throat then pointed to her mother.

"Um, because Hyuuga-sama," Mitsu's ruby eyes darted to a frowning Izumo, "Is quite similar to Keitaro."

Her grandmother perked up in her seat, "Really? How much?"

"A lot. In fact, very disturbingly so," sighed Mitsu then pointed to her pupils, "But there's no Eye Thingy when... um... when, yeah. Let's just say I can see just fine." Twiddling her fingers, the nervous woman left it at that when she saw steam rise from Izumo's ears.

Her grandmother looked her grand daughter up and down as she realized what Mitsu hinted at, "TWO bonds resurrected at the same time! Girl, you should've been running around like a headless chicken!"

Kotetsu started to snicker, but broke off when Izumo sent him an angry glare.

"That's a pretty fair assessment," mumbled an embarrassed Mitsu as she reached for her glass of water.

The elderly woman rubbed her chin with a scheme forming in her head, "Then there might be hope for that Hyuuga marriage proposal after all. If we can just-"

Mitsu slammed the glass back on the coffee table, "Obaasan, how many times do I have to tell you," Fed up with the blatant disregard for Izumo, she got up off the couch to tell Masako off, but stopped her tirade when she felt the world spin around her again, "Oh shit."

This time Izumo was quick to catch Mitsu before she hit the floor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It was well past sunset when the Yamanka family marched through the Aburame Compound gates. Inoichi was sporting a scowl on his face as his lovely wife, Hitomi, worriedly nibbled on her fingernails. Ino walked behind her parents as she carried herself in a dignified manner to where Shino and his father were waiting.

Shibi carefully hid his smug grin behind a calm facade and watched the Yamanaka leader possessively pull Hitomi closer to himself.

"Aburame," said Inoichi with a nod.

Shibi nodded in kind, "Yamanaka, welcome to our humble abode. Please, come in." The Aburame Clan Leader and his son stepped aside for the family through the front door.

Determined to keep a strong presence, Inoichi and Hitomi proudly strode into the Aburame main house with their daughter following. As Ino slowly walked by Shino, she looked up to give him a dazzling smile and a saucy wink.

Shibi held back a chuckle to hear his son's beetles hum excitedly at the blond coquette's antics, "Dinner will be served shortly. The dining room is this way." Inoichi and his family followed Shibi down the hall into the large dining room where an impressive table was set with fine porcelain china.

Silver place cards were set next to specific chair and the Yamanakas sat accordingly. Shibi and Inoichi were sitting at opposite ends of the table with Hitomi on one side. Shino and Ino sat next to each other on the other side.

Ino noticed that her mother looked rather distressed as she glanced back and forth between her husband and former lover. Inoichi was too busy glaring at the civil Shibi from across the table to perceive his wife's growing nervousness.

The silence unnerved the two young lovers as Ino's parents tried to figure out how to start the conversation without touching on the sensitive reason why they were here in the first place.

"So Inoichi," began Shibi, "How has the flower business been going?"

The Yamanka nodded, "Well enough. It puts food on the table," he said evasively.

"Of course," smiled Shibi then he turned to the beautiful blond woman sitting between him and Inoichi, "And how have you been, Hitomi? You look lovely as always."

Ino's mother blushed lightly from the Aburame's compliment and fidgeted her hands together, "I'm doing fine, Shibi-san. Thank you."

While Hitomi flushed from Shibi's flirting, Inoichi turned beet red at the outright indignity the Bug master dared to do in public. Shino smirked at his father's boldness with Ino's mother, even though the man really had no intention of following through.

As their parents continued to converse about the mundane, Shino and Ino would occasionally make doe-eyes at one another, even daring to brush a hand against the other's. If Shibi noticed the amorous play between the youngsters, he didn't let on, but continued to talk with Ino's parents. Inoichi and Hitomi, on the other hand, were entirely focused on the dinner conversation.

Deciding to test their limits, Shino stood up from his chair, "I think Ino should check on the cook's menu to be sure nothing would upset her delicate appetite." He extended a hand to Ino, who happily agreed.

Inoichi and Shibi respectfully stood up from their chairs until Shino led his fiancé out the dining room and into the hallway.

As soon as they turned a corner, Shino pulled Ino into an intimate embrace and they eagerly ravished each others lips. They were still caught in their lip lock when they heard Shibi's voice echo from down the hall.

"I hope the first course is to your daughter's liking. Our cook is usually quite careful when it comes to creating pregnancy friendly meals."

Realizing just how much time had passed, Ino and Shino broke away from each other and hurriedly straightened up themselves. The two young lovers strolled back into the dining room, looking as innocent as angels. Shibi raised an eyebrow at his son, who calmly replied with a smirk of his own.

As the guests were almost done with their meal, Ino cleared her throat and asked to be excused so she could powder her nose.

"Allow me to show you the way," said Shino smoothly and with a slight spring in their steps, they escaped the stifling room. This time the sweethearts were able to make it into the bathroom before attacking each other with kisses.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Ino-chan, are you in there," came Hitomi's voice from the other side of the door.

Ever prepared, Shino formed a transportation jutsu seal and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Ino calmly opened the bathroom door to see her mother and Shibi waiting on the other side.

The girl smiled at the wary parents, "All refreshed! What's for dessert?"

As the three of them walked back to the dining room, Ino saw Shino peeking out from behind a closet door.

"Ummmm, you know, I forgot something in my purse," She stuck her thumb back to where she saw Shino hiding, "The coat closet's this way right?"

Shibi nodded and amusedly watched the girl back up to the closet.

As Hitomi sat back down in her seat, she whispered to her husband, "I don't remember Ino bringing a purse. Did you see her carry a purse?"

The man shrugged and turned back to glare at the sitting Shibi, "Since it's just us parents. I would like to discuss this foolishness of our children."

Shibi sighed at the obstinate man, "Do you really think it is so ridiculous for our children to have fallen in love, Inoichi?"

"If that's what you think it is," scoffed the Yamanaka, "You're only deluding yourself. The only reason why we're here at this dinner is because your son got my daughter drunk then put her in the family way! I have half a mind to not agree to this marriage and just keep Ino safe at home from any more molesters."

"But the child," interceded Hitomi.

"Not a problem," Inoichi waved a hand nonchalantly, "We can easily take care of it and the boy can come visit whenever he wants."

"You're not going to keep them apart," said Shibi with a serious edge to his voice, "They'll keep this relationship going despite everything you do."

"HAH," Inoichi crossed his arms defiantly, "What makes you so sure?"

Unable to keep the smirk off his face anymore, Shibi stood up and gestured for his guests to follow him. He led Inoichi and Hitomi to the hall closet and swiftly opened the door.

A lipstick-covered Shino fell out backwards with a half dressed Ino on top of him.

Hitomi gaped to see her little girl pulling her kimono back over her shoulders and blushing ten shades of red.

The composed young man simply wiped off the lipstick with one arm and looked up at his father from the floor, "Is it time for dessert then?"

Shibi just smiled down at the shameless boy, "I think you had enough sugar for one day, son," Then he leaned over to Ino's mother and murmured in her ear, "Just like the good ol' days, huh, Hitomi-chan."

"Hi Daddy," chirped the blond girl as she grinned in embarrassment at her humbled father.

Inoichi slapped a hand over his eyes in complete frustration and turned to Shibi, "Where do I sign?"

--------Lemon 2-------

The Aburame Clan Leader chuckled as he waved a hand towards the other end of the hall, "My office is this way. I already have the betrothal papers drawn up. You and Hitomi may look over them for your approval."

The two young lovers obediently followed their parents down the hall, all the while sneaking heated glances with each other. Shibi opened up his office door and let the Yamanakas enter first, but he stepped in front of Ino and his son. With a knowing smirk, he slowly closed the door and gave Shino a wink.

A confused Ino stared at the door for a moment before Shino grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her down another hall. They stopped in front of a room and the young Aburame pushed the door open.

Peering into the room, Ino was still wondering what the hell was going on, "Shino-kun?"

The young man lifted a finger to her mouth, "Shhhh." Then he replaced the finger with his lips. He led her into his open room all the while kissing her with a hushed passion. Shino reached around her waist and pulled her obi apart.

Ino quickly threw her kimono off and worked on getting rid of Shino's clothes. He helped her remove the last of their underwear then drew Ino to his bed. Laying her on top of him, he lightly nibbled along the blond's neck then pulled her up to round his tongue on a nipple.

Ino couldn't help but moan with Shino's talented mouth sending delicious tingles throughout her body. Heaving with lust, Ino decided that she really wanted to try something she came across in Tenten's book.

Shino looked up at Ino with disappointment when she pulled away from him, but disappointment turned into elation when her mouth took in his harden member.

Carefully testing the skin with her tongue, Ino found she liked watching Shino fight to retain control. She gave an experimental suck and felt the boy's hips jerk. Smirking to herself, she did it again and again until Shino was writhing in his sheets.

He finally gave Ino's shoulders a shove and pulled her up to him. The beautiful blond frowned that she wasn't allowed to follow this fun activity to the end, but found herself thrown onto the bed then ravished at an incredible intensity.

Shino and Ino forgot all about being quiet and their gasps of pleasure resounded through the Aburame home, reaching all three parents.

Hitomi paled to hear her daughter's high pitched squeal while Inoichi pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I've been scarred. I've been scarred," he whispered repeatedly.

Snickering, Shibi had to get Inoichi's attention again by pointing to the bottom of the paper, "And initial here, here, and sign right by my name."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hours later, Mitsu slowly woke up with a groan and was surprised to see herself in a hospital bed with Tsunade-sama smiling down at her.

"Didn't I tell you to take it easy," said the Hokage with a wagging finger, "You've been stressing!"

Outside in the hallway, Izumo and Kana waited patiently for Tsunade to wake Mitsu. The Godaime said she needed to have a private talk with the kunoichi and that it would be best for all of them to wait outside.

Mitsu's grandmother had insisted in staying, but after ten minutes the cantankerous elderly lady walked out of the hospital room. Masako scowled angrily at the Chuunin, then hit him soundly on the arm with her cane before slowly stalking off for home.

"I don't think she likes me," Izumo muttered while rubbing his now thoroughly numb arm.

Kana watched her great-grandmother skulk away, "Okay, someone's obviously in a very bad mood. What was that all about?"

Next out the door was the burgundy kunoichi, nervously fiddling her fingers together, "Hungry? I'm starved!" Mitsu dragged Izumo and Kana out the hospital and headed for the nearest restaurant, which happened to be the Korean Barbecue. Kotetsu and Anko were just walking inside when the three of them ran to the door.

"Hi guys," Anko waved happily at the trio, "Asuma and Kurenai are already inside. Want to join us?"

Mitsu gave them a great big grin as her fiancé and daughter came up from behind, "Absolutely!" As everyone made their orders, Mitsu silently muddled over Tsunade's little chat.

When it came to her turn, she looked over the menu and quirked an eyebrow, "Hmmm, the baby back ribs sound good. I'll have one order of those and I'd like to add some extra side dishes," she smirked at Kana's curious expression, "Hokage-sama suggested I take in extra nutrition for the next NINE months."

Kana's mouth dropped open as she looked at her smiling mother, "For real," whispered the eight year old. The midnight moppet broke into a huge grin when Mitsu nodded eagerly.

Then the burgundy kunoichi blushed and smiled at Izumo, who was still looking at the menu, "With the baby back ribs, I'd like some baby peas," she gave her fiancé another sidelong glance that only the waitress caught. The young woman smiled then waved her hands for Mitsu to keep the hints going.

"And some baby carrots..."

Looking up from her glass, Kurenai gasped then tugged an already chuckling Asuma on his arm. More hungry than noticing what was going on around him, Izumo continued to peruse the food selection.

Mitsu giggled as Kurenai hopped in her seat, then the burgundy kunoichi tried to get Izumo's attention again, "And some baby corn..."

Kotetsu and Anko stopped sipping their drinks and looked at Mitsu for confirmation. When she beamed happily, Kotetsu sighed and gave his best friend an covert kick in the leg.

Izumo jumped, "Oh, is it my turn to order? I'll have the BBQ pork with.. what was it you said again? Oh yeah, baby corn and peas sound good too."

Kana slapped her forehead while the others shook their heads in pity.

The waitress sighed and gestured toward Mitsu, "Actually, sir. She was in the middle of ordering. Go ahead, ma'am. Start from the top," the waitress raised her eyebrows meaningfully.

Mitsu took a deep breath and hoped she made things abundantly clear this time, "BABY peas, BABY carrots, BABY corn, and of course, some BABY back ribs."

Izumo smiled at the exasperated woman beside him, "You really are hungry. Aren't you?"

"RAAAWR," Mitsu was already having a long day and what little patience she had disappeared in a flash, "A Baby, Izumo! WE'RE HAVING A BABY!" She grabbed his shirt and dragged him close for a quick kiss on the lips. Their friends erupted into laughter at the thick headed chuunin, whose mouth gaped open.

Izumo stared back at Mitsu for a minute as the words finally registered in his tired brain. Then he pointed down at her middle and squeaked out, "Baby?"

"YES," roared the entire restaurant.

--------------------------------------------------

Two weeks later, the top of the Hokage Tower was covered by people and overflowing with decorations. The enormous courtyard was decked out with hastily bought streamers and a flood of flowers from the Yamanaka Flower Shop, along with a huge banner hovering over the Kamizuki wedding ceremony.

Wearing her official red Hokage robes, Tsunade smiled gently at the newlyweds, who pulled away from their first kiss as husband and wife, "And now, it is with great pleasure for me to say..." Tsunade tipped her hat off her blond hair.

"LET'S PARTY!"

The Korean BBQ and Ichiraku's were commissioned only a week ago to cater the shindig and tables, stolen from the administration offices, were spread out with a voluminous buffet that excited even the Akimichi Clan.

Despite Mitsu's insistence at having an intimate civil ceremony, Masako refused to hear a word of it and threw her money around like water so she could invite all of Konoha's clans to the nuptials, especially the Hyuuga and Aburame clans. During the dinner, everyone visited the wedding party's table to give their best wishes, including the Hyuuga Clan Leader.

"Congratulations, Kamizuki," Hiashi gave the Chuunin a curt nod, "I was told that it's customary to kiss the bride for good luck. May I?"

A deep frown crossed Izumo's face and he was about to tell the Hyuuga where he MAY go, but Kotetsu leaned in to reassure his best friend.

"Mitsu's married and fully bonded to you," whispered his teammate, "She's out of Hiashi's reach now."

Izumo sighed as he reluctantly agreed, "Well, if it's just a peck on the cheek. It's okay then."

Surprised at how magnanimous her new husband acted, Mitsu smiled sweetly at Izumo while moving near to Hiashi. She leaned to the side to give the Hyuuga an innocent peck on the cheek, but found his hands grab her waist, pull her close, and plant a long deep kiss on her.

"HEY," shouted Izumo as he tapped the busy Hyuuga on the shoulder.

Cringing at the kissing couple, Kotetsu wondered if he was going to have to summon his conch weapon.

Hiashi pulled back from a shocked Mitsu and looked deeply into her ruby eyes. Fully paranoid now, Izumo slid in from the side to look at her pupils as well. Mitsu's frightened ruby eyes darted between Hiashi and Izumo as they continued to stare at her unchanged eyes.

Chagrined, the Hyuuga Clan Leader sighed and turned around to face Masako. To the old lady's disappointment, he shook his head.

"Don't worry," whispered Masako, "We'll figure out something else later."

Growling at Mitsu's grandmother, Izumo turned around when he felt a hand tap him from behind, "Oh hello, Sai. Are you enjoying yourself?"

The young shinobi gave the groom a slight shrug and smile, "I suppose so." Then Sai handed Izumo a portfolio, "Here is my wedding gift. I thought you and Mitsu-san would like them."

After fixing her lipstick, Mitsu walked up to Izumo's side, "Why thank you, Sai. I was told you were among the best artists in Konoha. These must be quite beau-." Both bride and groom's eyes popped out when Izumo opened up the portfolio.

"As you can see," smiled the boy, "Once I added color and shading, it's almost like watching it in person. At least, that's what Ero-Senin says."

"Portraits of who," asked Masako as she hobbled up to the newly-weds, "May I see?"

The burgundy kunoichi squeaked and spun her grandmother around, "Oh HEY! Didn't you want me to meet somebody important, Masako-baasan. Why don't we go over there now!"

Pushing the old lady away, Mitsu hissed over her shoulder at Izumo, "First chance you get, burn those pictures."

"Yes, dear. Consider them burned, dear," said her husband as he nodded reassuringly, but stealthily slipped the parchments to Kotetsu, who tucked them away in his clothes.

"Alright fellas," came Tsunade's voice through the microphone, "It's time to toss the garter! Mitsu and Izumo get over here!" The Hokage positioned a chair at the front of the tables, while several eligible bachelors were gathered or pushed into the open.

Gai and Lee were aflame with excitement and were the first guys to stand up then hug with youthful passion, much to Tenten's embarrassment.

Before joining the other bachelors, Naruto kissed the back of Hinata's hand and gave her a great big grin, "I'll catch that garter, Dattebayo!"

Asuma found himself pushed into the crowd of guys by Kurenai along with Kotetsu by Anko.

For some reason, the snake kunoichi decided to take Mitsu's advice and try to go beyond her usual two-weeker with the blue-haired nin, much to everyone's surprise.

Naruto felt someone walk up and stand beside him. The blond boy was flabbergasted to see Kiba there with a canine grin, "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, don't mind me," sniffed the Inuzuka, "I don't really want to catch the garter. I'm just here to get laid. Just like ninety-nine percent of the guys here."

The Kyuubi Vessel took a good look around and noticed the same attitude. After being hounded by Baki, Gaara and Kankuro were pretty much hiding in the middle of the crowd while Shikamaru was doing his best to duck behind Chouji's back.

Giggling, Mitsu sat down in the chair while a leering Izumo knelt down and waited for her to lift the skirt. They both could hear the jeers and wolf-whistles as she teased the groom by slowly elevating the hem of her dress.

"Remember," she whispered down at him, "You gotta use your teeth."

"Like you'd let me forget," he teased back while trailing a finger along her thigh. His tongue lightly touched her leg before he snagged the garter in his mouth.

Mitsu felt shivers run up and down her spine as he secretly nuzzled her skin while pulling off the frilly ribbon. Izumo chuckled when he saw her close her eyes, knowing she was trying to hide her lust from the watching public.

Tsunade smiled when the groom proudly flourished the garter in one hand, "Alright, boys! Heads up cause here it comes!"

Izumo turned his back to the nervous bachelors and shot off the garter into the middle of the crowd.

Naruto immediately summoned several Shadow Clones and they all converged on the blue ribbon.

Gai and Lee enthusiastically dove after the garter and began taking out all the Naruto clones in their way.

In all the confusion, Gaara's Sand covertly sent out a thin tendril to redirect the garter to the left, while Kankuro, who had substituted Karasu for himself, pulled his puppet out of range.

Shikamaru used his Shadow Jutsu to trip up his own feet and ended knocking over Chouji in the process.

Asuma and Kotetsu did their best to stay out of everyone's way, but still found themselves thoroughly trampled into the ground by several Naruto clones.

Watching the crazy shinobi either avidly dodge or fight fiercely for a frilly bit of lace, Kakashi, Yamato and Genma sat safely at their table. They enjoyed sipping their drinks, and freely laughing at the foolish shinobi.

"Whoever came up with the stupid tradition must be rolling in their grave," cracked Genma as he clinked glasses with Yamato, but then something white and blue flew through the air and landed somewhere at their table.

Feeling his toothpick tilt to the side, Genma panicked as his chestnut eyes crossed to look down his nose, "K-Kakashi? Is that what I think it is?" There was a stretchy blue ribbon edged in white lace hanging off the end of his senbon.

"I believe so," snickered the Copy Nin and he raised his glass in cheers, "Better you than me!"

All the disappointed shinobi watched Genma tip the senbon up with his teeth to get a better look at the perfumed garter, "Shit!" The rest of the guests laughed and clapped heartily at the Senbon Shinobi's 'Good Fortune'.

"And now... for the MAIN EVENT," roared Tsunade, "It is time to throw the Bridal Bouquet!"

The Hokage knew she didn't have to encourage any of the girls to come up front like with the guys. The moment the garter was caught by Genma, the kunoichi were already gathering and strategizing their moves.

Sakura and Ino calmly sat next to their betrotheds and smiled to themselves. Any regular girls hoping to catch the bouquet while standing among their shinobi friends were dead meat.

Kurenai and Anko were already sizing each other up, while Temari grinned evilly at Tenten. Darling, shy Hinata was blushing innocently from the back of the crowd, but Sakura knew the Hyuuga Heiress had her Byakugan at the ready.

Smiling at the eager cluster of girls, Mitsu turned around and threw the bouquet high over her head.

Anko threw a snake at Kurenai's legs, effectively tying the other kunoichi down then jumped up to grab the flowers.

"You bitch," cried the brunette as she pulled the equally surprised snake off her legs then shook it at Anko.

Tenten threw her barrage of weapons, including a couple bombs that forced Anko to pull back.

Temari let loose her Wind Scythe Jutsu, knocking Tenten from the bouquet, but Hinata snuck up behind the Sand kunoichi.

The Sand kunoichi rocked back and forth from having all her chakra points hit by the determined Heiress.

Hinata tried to keep an eye on the floating bouquet, but Temari's Wind Scythe continued to stir up a lot of dirt and tore up the half the wedding decorations, along with part of the Tower's upper offices.

"Girls! Girls!" Shizune rushed from one trampled civilian after another, healing the poor overwhelmed guests, "This is no way to behave! We are at a wedding, not a bar!" The brunette furiously waved her hands at the embarrassed kunoichi until she felt something drop into her hand.

Pulling her arm down, she saw Mitsu's wind-blown and slightly singed, bridal bouquet limp pitifully in her palm, "Huh, well what do you know!"

Shizune turned to proudly grin at her mentor, but saw the Godaime's menacing frown and manicured hands shake in fury.

The enraged Tsunade looked over the extensive damage to the wedding party then to her tower and lifted her hands to the heavens, "Can you shinobi make it through ONE DAY without a brawl!"


	21. Chapter 21

**Um... Kurenai.**

Humorous one shot bonus on four years down the road. I couldn't resist writing this one shot after I wrote the Lemonade chapter. This is dedicated to my favorite canon couple, Asuma and Kurenai! This doesn't coincide with the Shippuuden time line, but I'd like to pretend Asuma had more time with Kurenai.

-----------------------------------

It was early in the afternoon when the doorbell rang repeatedly forcing a waddling Mitsu to see who was at the door, "I'm coming! Kami! Woman pregnant with twins here!"

As Kamizuki Mitsu made her way down the hallway, she quickly checked on her and Izumo's three year old son, Taro. Sighing in relief, she thanked the heavens he was such a heavy sleeper like his sister.

The burgundy kunoichi opened up the door to find Mitarashi Anko and Yuuhi Kurenai on the front door step.

"Oh Mitsu," The snake kunoichi rushed through and waved her arms about, "I'm late! I'm late!"

Mitsu pulled Anko's arms down and gave the girl a serious look, "What are you talking about?"

An annoyed Kurenai pulled Mitsu's hand open and slapped a pregnancy test box into it, "She made me buy it. Miss Bad Ass Snake Jounin was too embarrassed to do it herself."

"Shhh," Mitsu motioned for her friends to follow her to the kitchen, "Taro-kun is still napping. So why don't you just take the test and find out?"

"I can't," wailed Anko as she paced the room, "I was so nervous I used the bathroom before heading to the drugstore. I have to wait another hour."

Mitsu chuckled as she shook her head and took a seat at the table, "Only you, Anko."

"Oh Kami! What am I going to do? What will Raido do? Are we going to have to get married?"

"Raido?" Mitsu scrunched up her nose in thought as she tried to picture the man Anko was talking about.

Kurenai sighed, "Her boyfriend two weeks before Aoba. He's got a scar half-way across his face."

"You just described half of the shinobi in Konoha," giggled the burgundy kunoichi as she pulled a chair up for her grumpy friend.

Kurenai sat at the kitchen table next to Mitsu and rubbed her pulsing temples, "Would you just relax already, Anko!"

"I can't! Hang on! Mitsu," Anko knelt on the kitchen floor and gathered her friend's hands into her own, "Tell me the truth. Does giving birth hurt?"

Mitsu's eyes widened in horror and she gripped Anko's hands back, "Oh Anko-chan, the pain is _unimaginable_!"

"AWWWWW FUUUCK," Jumping up in a panic, the snake kunoichi waved her hands in the air and ran around the kitchen in circles.

Kurenai sniffed, "That's how you got into this mess in the first place."

Watching Anko freak out, Kurenai leaned over and whispered in Mitsu's ear, "You know they have pain relief for that now."

Mitsu snickered behind her hand, "Yeah, I know, but this is way too much fun. Izumo-kun and Kotetsu-kun are gonna crack up for days when I tell them about this!" Stifling her laughter, the burgundy beauty lovingly rubbed her round tummy as she felt two tiny pairs of hands push from inside their mother.

Kurenai lowered her head on the table, "God, I just wish there was some way to get her to shut up!"

Worried, Mitsu stroked her friend's long dark hair, "What's wrong? Haven't been getting much sleep lately?"

Kurenai looked up and nodded her head, "I guess I'll just have to head to bed early for a while." The brunette winced when Anko let out another whine.

"My parents! Oh my god, my parents! They're going to... LOVEthis! Waaah hahahah," Anko fell to the floor on her knees and pulled on her ponytail, "They've been bugging me for a grandchild for years!"

Mitsu rolled her ruby eyes and decided enough was enough, "Say are you girls hungry? How about a snack?"

She pulled out a bag of BBQ chips from the pantry then took out a new jar of pickles from the fridge. Mitsu sat the unopened food down on the table and waited for Anko's reaction.

"Great! I am starving," chirped Anko as she jumped up and tore into the chips, "Mmmph- I've been freaking out so much, I forgot to eat lunch!"

Mitsu smiled and gave her friend a pat on the back, "Calm down, Anko. I think you've been stressed so much, your cycle is just a few days late. If you relax, it'll show up soon."

Anko's eyes lit up with hope, "Really?"

Mitsu nodded sagely.

"Wooo hooo," Anko danced a little jig and sang happily, "I'm not pregnant! I'm not pregnant!"

Then the snake kunoichi froze in middle of her dancing and held up the pregnancy test, "So what am I going to do with this?"

Mitsu shrugged and turned to Kurenai for a suggestion. Looking down, she noticed the brunette kunoichi had broken into the tightly sealed jar of pickles.

"Oh man," Kurenai sighed happily as she bit down on a second pickle, "I have been craving these all day! Hey, Mitsu. Do you happen to have any chocolate ice cream in the freezer?"

Mitsu nervously bit down on a nail, "Um... Kurenai?"

"What?"

Smirking, Anko slid the pregnancy test across the kitchen table to Kurenai.


	22. Chapter 22

I do not own Naruto

AN: Okay, before there's another wave of OC hating eye-rolling, I know there are one or two of you out there that would like to see a grown Kana in her own romance. I hope my humor writing can make up for this major fanfic faux pas, but if it doesn't, oh well. When I write, I write for the fun and this is fun.

I didn't want to do a 'Just write and see what happens' story for "When I Grow Up". So I took my time deciding who Kana would be a good fit for and you'll see who it is soon. Along with Kana's romance, there will be other pairings in this fic. We'll revisit Neji and Sakura during their quest for a baby. A freaked out Anko is going to be pursued by one determined Yamato, which IMHO should be a canon pair. There'll be a whole new Shibi/Kurenai romance. Sorry, Hiashi fans. After her first encounter with Hiashi when Hinata became a genin, I couldn't see the woman going for the Hyuuga when there's someone like Shibi around. The Aburame dude is a natural father and hot to boot, but I'm still trying to figure out a separate Hiashi fic. Then there's the newest crack pairing for me, Sasuke/Hanabi. Yup, I thought it'd be fun to have Sasuke dragged, kicking and screaming back to the fold, then having to suffer with a jealous little cousin from hell.

And for those of you who read both FF and AFF... Shhhhhhhhh! ;-)

Here is the little teaser from:

**When I Grow Up**

**Chapter One:**

The Konoha Council Chamber was at full capacity this early morning. The Godaime, every clan leader, and their elder counselors were there to discuss a very important matter that could affect the future of Konohakagure. Some of the clan leaders were accompanied by the next generation of leaders, so as to witness this historic event. Most notably, the calm and collected Aburame Shino sat next to his equally level headed father, Shibi. As both men surveyed the crowded room, moving to sit beside them was Inuzuka Hana with her rambunctious mother and current Inuzuka Clan leader, Tsume.

Across from the large room sat the Hyuuga Hiashi with his counselor, Shoda, and both were quite concerned about this particular matter. As Hiashi perused the room, he locked gazes with Shibi and Shino. Each person nodded in silent understanding that they would do their best to represent Uchiha Kana and change the Council's political interests in her. This meeting would determine the future of their little neighbor girl, who they've become quite fond of over the past eight years. That and the girl's mother made a personal request for them to look out for the fifteen year old while she was away on a mission with her husband and teammate.

'Speaking of,' thought Hiashi, 'Has Kana-san arrived yet, or is she late as usual?' He activated his Byakugan to search the building and found two figures waiting in the hall outside the ominous double-doors of the Council Chambers.

The Hyuuga smiled to himself, 'She's on time for once. I wonder if she realizes what's going on?' He looked over at the other figure sitting across the hall and scowled at the outline of the infamous deserter, Uchiha Sasuke.

'I can't imagine he would be very happy about this meeting either,' Then Hiashi deactivated his bloodline limit and sat patiently for the meeting to start.

Outside the Council Chamber, two young Uchihas slouched in chairs across from the other with arms crossed as they waited to be called inside. They received the summons only a half hour ago and neither one was in any mood to make friendly chit-chat with the other. The waiting area was bare except for some painting on the wall and a few chairs lined up on either side of the room.

Irritated at being rushed away from her nice warm bed only to sit bored to death, the fifteen year old's knee bounced frantically on the wooden floors, creating a rhythmic tapping with her sandal heel. To Kana's annoyance, there wasn't even the obligatory reading material so she could use to block out her cousin.

Sasuke's stoic face slowly turned to stare at his cousin and watched her purposefully ignore him, "Stop it."

Kana looked up and narrowed her eyes at him, "Excuse me?"

"Stop... it," he repeated with increasing malice, "You're making a racket."

Turning away, the girl rolled her eyes and crossed her legs, "Whatever, Teme."

'Damn it, Naruto,' Sasuke's cold facade broke with a slight twitch, 'It's bad enough having all of Konoha call me that behind my back, but now I have to deal with it from blood.'

He glared at the fifteen year old girl sitting across from him, 'And I use that term lightly!'

As much as he hated admitting that he was related to the little shrew side-glaring right back at him, the resemblance was quite disturbing. It was like staring at a Sexy No Jutsu version of him at fifteen. She even wore a modified version of the Uchiha uniform from his first Chuunin exam. The black one piece had been modified into a crop top with shorts and she proudly displayed the Uchiha clan fan on her back like he once did. In addition, her hair was no longer pulled into childish pigtails, but into a ponytail that was reminiscent of Itachi's, which got on Sasuke's nerves more than anything.

Eight years ago, the clan murderer had kidnapped Kana, tortured the girl's mother, and attempted to kill the young kunoichi in cold blood. Despite all that, his brother was held in higher regard by Kana than he was! Okay, so he also planned to steal her away then sacrifice the little girl to Orochimaru, but that fell apart when Itachi and the other Akatsuki stuck their noses in his business. When Team Seven brought him back a few years ago, he certainly didn't expect his little cousin to welcome him with open arms, but there should be some gratitude for assimilating that sick snake into oblivion.

Kana stared icily back at her older cousin and could feel the distaste radiating off him too, 'Tch, you ain't all that, Emo-boy. Just because you have the rest of Konoha bending over backwards to stay on your good side, doesn't mean I'm gonna kiss your stinking ass.'

As if reading her mind and not caring a wit, Sasuke gave Kana one more irritated glower before turning to the Council room doors.

Looking for a chance to relieve the boredom, Kana chuckled softly and decided to have some fun with her cousin. Seeing his attention was elsewhere, her eyes glowed red with two tomoe in each pupil and she quickly stuck her tongue out at the bastard.

Sasuke noticed movement from the corner of his eye and turned left.

The girl was innocently staring at her hands.

Narrowing his onyx eyes, he slowly looked away again.

Kana sneered then stuck her tongue out again and pushed the tip of her nose at him, mimicking a silent pig snort.

Sasuke spun his head forward. His cousin was looking up at a random corner with now darkened eyes, giving a long and bored sigh. Knowing full well she was up to something, he feinted looking down then jerked his head up with fully developed tomoe gleaming.

Kana froze when she found Sasuke's red eyes scowling at the double birdies waving on either side of her head, wiggling pink tongue sticking out, and her Sharingan pupils crossed.

"That's right, bitch," growled the twenty-two year old as he sensed the fear coming off her, "Triple tomoe trumps double tomoe!"

Genma and Raido opened the Council room doors to find two pissed off Uchihas standing in the middle of the hallway, kunai drawn, and about ready to trade blows.

With senbon bouncing in the corner of his mouth, Genma smirked and looked at the two sideways, "Little early for the honeymoon to start."

Both looked at him like he grew a second head and shouted out together, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Chuckling at the cousins, Genma's grin grew bigger and waved them inside, "You'll find out soon enough." Then he and Raido ushered the Uchihas into the Council Chambers to face the enormous room packed to the rafters with all of Konoha's nobility and military elite.

The two Uchihas could feel the thoughtful stares as they walked down the center aisle to the open space right in front of the Godaime and the esteemed Council Elders, Homura and Koharu. They bowed respectfully to the seated leaders then knelt on the tatami mats set out for them.

"Thank you for attending this meeting, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Kana. We called you here to discuss an important matter concerning your once proud and noble clan," The Elder turned to the young man, "Please take the time to listen carefully to what we say before coming to a hasty decision."

Homura looked at the young man with a frown, "Sasuke-san, despite the imprudence of leaving the village to satisfy your lust for power, we have welcomed you back into the village and reinstated you to our forces... even allowed you to be given the rank of Jounin."

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes, 'Sure you did. Only after putting me through Ibiki's hellish interrogation to prove my loyalty. Followed by a year of probation of doing nothing but D rank missions for free. Then pushing me through one A-rank mission after another, paying reparations to line your pockets. Now all I have to deal with, is being a social outcast, barring all the rabid fan girls that want to have my babies.'

The young man sighed to himself, 'It's a good thing the Uchiha fortune is still around and earning interest. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have been able to pay past due bills, put food on the table, and complete renovations for my old apartment.'

"And Kana-san," Homura watched the young kunoichi look up at him, "We have given you and your mother a place among our people. We've provided protection and training for you to become one of our most promising Chuunin. In addition, you have grown into a lovely young lady."

Now THAT got Sasuke into rolling his eyes, 'They give me a dressing down with a side order of guilt, while the brat gets coddled and cooed at. Jerks. Stop skirting the subject and just-'

"Get to the point, Homura-sama," finished the equally annoyed fifteen year old.

The Elders frowned at the girl's abrupt rudeness while the Hokage tipped her red hat down to hide her small smile.

"Very well, Kana-san," the man nodded to both Uchiha, "You both understand the significance your kekkei genkai is to this village's honor and well-being. Everyone here and the Council believes it-"

Several coughs and angry mumbles echoed through the room to interrupt the old man, who sighed before correcting himself, "Everyone here has discussed the ramifications of a union between you, Sasuke and Kana, to keep the bloodline pure and ensure the future with more Sharingan shinobi."

There was a deep silence in the Council Chamber as all eyes turned to watch the blood drain from the two shinobi's faces at the very idea.

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke crossed his arms and kept it simple, "No."

"Yeah," Kana drawled out and gave the Elders disgusted glares, "As much as I hate agreeing with him. No way in hell."

Homura grimaced at Kana once again, but continued to press their case, "I realized there would be some animosity between you, given past encounters, but please understand. If your Uchiha Elders were alive here today, it is very likely that you two would still be matched up for the sake of more skilled shinobi. We are merely asking you to take this into serious consideration for the good of Konohakagure." Then the long winded man persisted in throwing one reason after another at the overwhelmed Uchihas.

Throughout the mind numbing speech, the other leaders of Konoha watched Kana's face deepen into a frown and burn more red by the second. Sporting the same expression, Sasuke's head was bowed and dark hair covered his wide eyes as they darted around erratically. The all powerful Uchiha Sasuke was practically panicking, as he desperately tried to figure a way out this mess without turning missing nin again.

When Homura finished what he thought was a very convincing argument, he held his stern gaze to the two Uchiha heirs and looked them in the eye, "Will the both of you do this for the sake of the village?"

Sasuke was still panic-stricken and looking around to the sympathetic leaders for help, when his cousin spoke up.

With clasped hands and lowering her head, Kana's voice resounded through the room in a deceptively compliant tone, "Well, Homura-sama, when you put it so eloquently, all I can say is..."

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It was another beautiful and sunny day in Konoha. Inuzuka Kiba and his best buddy, Akamaru were enjoying a leisurely stroll through the village neighborhoods. They had just finished completing the six month exchange mission in Suna and were both tired from their long journey. The Chuunin trudged up to his family's property, smiling at the same old house rising up in the horizon and sniffing the air as he took in all the familiar scents.

The other Inuzuka homes were dotted around the Main House in a seemingly haphazard pattern that only made sense to the clan. Despite it's age, the large country house was incredibly strong , withstanding the test of time and millions of territory markings. Needless to say, the rose bushes flourished in this area. The Inuzuka clan's rowdy reputation encouraged the original builders to design the houses with durability and functionality over elegance, which created an nearly indestructible neighborhood.

"Home, sweet home," sighed Kiba as he looked up at the three story home. For the time being, everything seemed to be in order and all was well with the world.

'Hey,' barked Akamaru excitedly, 'Tsume-sama and Hana-san are home! Better hurry!' Excited to re-establish his territory and notify his status among the other dog-nins, Akamaru bounded excitedly around the huge Inuzuka home several times before rushing into the backyard to where the kitchen door was always kept open.

Easily catching the scent of his family, Kiba followed a loud clamor coming from the kitchen, only to stand stock still at the strange sight welcoming him home. The twenty-two year old Chuunin gawked to find his mother busting her gut and leaning against a counter for balance while his howling sister was sitting down and banging a hand on the table.

Both Kiba and a confused Akamaru looked back and forth at the crazy women, "Okay, either you two had been slipped a mickey or I'm wearing my pants inside out again."

"OH MAN, Kiba," sighed Hana as she waved her little brother to take a seat, "You missed out on a bad ass funny meeting with the Council today! The Elders tried to convince the Uchiha kids to get hitched and ended up with more of a fight than they thought!"

Kiba shrugged as he sat himself down in a chair, "Well, I can imagine what Emo-boy did." He ran through hand signs and henged into the broody Uchiha.

Tsume and Hana winced as Kiba-Sasuke crossed his arms, took a deep breath and frowned deeply, "No."

His mother raised her eyebrows, "Oh yeah! Then Kana took a turn and let all of us know exactly what she thought. Wooo hooo, that girl has got a mouth! You should've seen the looks on all the Elders."

"I personally thought her variations of flipping off the Council were a nice touch," Lounging backwards in her chair, Hana lifted a finger and nodded slyly, "One even got the point across to Koharu-sama and she's near-sighted."

"I can't believe everyone was shocked," laughed Kiba-Sasuke, "The girl's temper is legendary."

Tsume shook her head, "Nah! Not everyone knows. The Aburame and Hyuuga Clans warned the council on how Kana would take it. Even Tsunade-sama tried to tell them, but nope. The hopeful old fogeys couldn't get it through their thick skulls that neither one of them would go through with it.

"Oh ho," His mother reached into the fridge for the milk carton, "That Uchiha girl certainly knows how to put on a good show," Then proceeded to drink out of it before wiping the lipstick off the edge.

"I'd have to say my favorite part was Kana's big finish," The Inuzuka Heir got up as she demonstrated, "She stood up and said, 'You can kiss my shiny Uchiha heinie, 'cause there ain't no way that's happenin', ya' sickos!' Then she turned around and SLAPPED HER ASS at 'em!"

"Then she looked down at her cousin," Tsume walked up to the henged Kiba, imitating the girl's voice and stance with one hand on her hip, "And I hope you enjoyed the view, Teme, because that's the closest you're gettin' to this piece of ass!" Tsume circled a hand up and snapped her fingers in the fake Sasuke's face.

A puff of smoke circled up as Kiba laughed so hard he lost control of his henge, "I would've paid good money to see that!"

"Yeah," Hana sneered at her little brother, "You WOULD! Remember that Uzumaki's bachelor party is a strictly 'Look, but not touch' policy. I don't want to hear that you propositioned another stripper like at the Nara party! The last thing Hinata-chan needs is one of her best friends missing the wedding because he's sitting in an ANBU holding cell."

Peering with one eye at the boy, Tsume gave her son a hard shove, "And speaking of gettin' hitched! Almost all your friends are married, going to get married, or lookin' for someone to get married. Don't tell me you're gonna be a confirmed bachelor, just because Hinata-chan's marrying the Uzumaki kid?"

Kiba snarled at the reminder of his childhood crush soon to be officially bound to the Kyuubi Vessel and plopped down at the table, "Eh! Getting married's not worth it... Besides, you've already got Hana hooked up with a sucker. You don't need me to carry on the family line."

"Line, schmine! I'm talkin' about your happiness, Kiba. No son of mine is gonna end up cold and alone in his old age. If I have to, I'll hire a professional matchmaker to set ya' up with someone."

Tsume sneered at the kid's deepening scowl, "Yeah, boy! So if you don't wanna end up married to a complete stranger, get up off your ass and get serious!" Then the Inuzuka Clan Leader emphasized her point with a whack behind the guy's head.

"OW," Kiba rubbed his brown hair and pouted, "Awww, Mooom!"

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AN: And for those who are wondering, YES! There will be another Lemonade-type chapter in the future. I think I'll call it "Party At The Hokage's!" Figure that one out! Go on, I dare you!


	23. Chapter 23

I do not own Naruto

Happy Tuesday! Chapter One of When I Grow Up is now ready. Since the main pairing is KibaOC, I put it under the Kiba M category. Hope you enjoy:-)


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